Regaining What is Lost
by Weisser Ritter
Summary: Six Gods descended upon the world and brought salvation to humanity. Eight Greed Kings were set free to destroy everything those before them had built. Forty-One Supreme Beings would be called forth to surpass them all. Momonga's heartfelt wish is granted, but all things come at a price. AU.
1. First Contact

**Regaining What is Lost**

 **Chapter 1: First Contact**

Momonga sighed, glaring wearily at the image in front of him as it reflected nothing but a lush grassland and empty greenery.

"Is something the matter, Momonga-sama?" The Overlord of Death turned to look at the well-dressed butler at his side, whose stone-like countenance had been broken by Momonga's first reaction within several minutes. The man's gaze was sharp, but the skin around his steely eyes wrinkled almost imperceptibly in what could be sensed as worry.

"...No, it is nothing Sebas."With the hand that wasn't held over the large mirror he had been viewing, Momonga provided a gesture of dismissal to his servant's concern. In truth, Momonga could hardly tell him that the reason he felt at odds was because he was bored of staring at a screen with nothing on it.

It had only been hours ago that Momonga had been transported alongside his Guild base and everything within to this strange yet familiar world. Yesterday he had been Satoru Suzuki, an ordinary salaryman who enjoyed playing YGGDRASIL, one of the oldest DMMOs on the market. Back then Momonga had been a mere game avatar, nothing but a program of zeroes and ones that merely tried to imitate reality.

In the present that reality had changed, and it was the Momonga that sat on this room of Nazarick who was real and Satoru the consciousness that existed only inside Momonga's imagination. Had his own game abilities not carried over with this phenomenon and activated to keep his composure calm, it was probable that he would have still been panicking.

However, the truth was that Momonga did not hold many attachments towards his life as Satoru Suzuki. That was not to say that he had discarded reality, he was proud to call himself a member of society after all- However, he had never held too many expectations as to where he would go in life, nor did reality ever look as bright to him as his time playing YGGDRASIL had been.

Momonga had many good memories of playing YGGDRASIL. Though initially he had hated the game for making him a target of the fantastically racist human players, he had been stopped from quitting thanks to the efforts of his first DMMO friend, a player with the nickname of Touch Me. He and seven others had become Momonga's friends in the game and together they had founded their guild: Ainz Ooal Gown.

Those days were Momonga's fondest times- Ainz Ooal Gown had started as a humble base for their adventures and it had grown into a full-blown virtual community, fueled by the dreams and imagination of all 41 of its members. Together they had spent weekends farming for rare items, hunting down event bosses or just sharing fun stories and experiences with each other. It was the first time that Momonga had felt that he was special, just as each and everyone of his comrades had been.

All of them had done their part to build the place that Momonga stood on right then, the Great Tomb of Nazarick. The Tomb's 10 floors had been painstakingly built by the illustrators, programmers and designers of Ainz Ooal Gown, and everything inside of them were either creations of the guild members or things earned by their actions. There was not a single thing within it that could not be traced to the efforts of him and his friends.

Together with the lonely Momonga, Nazarick had been transferred into this new world. The man at his side was no less than another of his friends' creations, a custom NPC by the name of Sebas Tian. He was Touch Me's creation, and had been designed as one of the leaders of the Pleiades, a combat force solely composed of maid-like characters.

This character, as well as every other NPC within Nazarick had seemingly obtained sentience upon being transported from the game. He could not know if they were truly intelligent, but for all intents and purposes Momonga could not distinguish the game's NPCs from other living beings anymore. Even then, that wasn't an issue. What was a problem was that no sooner had he gathered the most important NPCs of his guild together, they had proceeded to fanatically proclaim their eternal loyalty and devotion to him.

Which had brought him to the current situation. He, Satoru Suzuki, who was but an ordinary salesperson trapped in the body of a game character, had suddenly been placed in a position of leadership as the Supreme Overlord of Nazarick. Fearing any possible retaliation from the NPCs, he had been pressured into acting like the character they expected him to be and had been thrown into this strange situation.

The first thing he had done when that had happened had been to panic. When that didn't present results and he had shortly calmed down, he proceeded to try his best to assess the situation, and acted accordingly. It had only been a day, but after having set his mind to the task of becoming acclimated with his current predicament, he'd learned several things in a short timespan, such as the effectiveness of his magic spells or the layout of his surroundings.

Having more or less finished delegating most of his current worries to Albedo the Overseer of the NPCs (as well as one large source of embarrassment from his part), Momonga had then stepped back to do a less stressful task- That was, play around with a scrying magic item while simultaneously using it to scout Nazarick's surroundings from the comfort of the Royal Suite.

But…

"Nothing as far as the eye can see, huh…?"

Admittedly, Momonga shouldn't have expected to find anything noteworthy given the angle that the [ _Remote Viewing Lens_ ] used for its display. Although a useful magic item that reflected a view of the desired target area, without the game's camera interface the scrying tool had started on its default viewpoint… Which was no better than a sea-level human's eyesight.

This had translated into several minutes of Momonga making several different kinds of sweeping and sliding hand gestures just to fumble his way through the same monotonous, endless plains that only differed in very very slight shades of green. He thought he might have caught sight of a forest at some point, but he couldn't be so sure when it pertained to the damn thing doing its job.

"If there is anything I can do to help, Momonga-sama? Should you require anything you need only ask, and I shall aid you to the full extent of my abilities." Sebas sought to lift the disgruntled mood of Momonga, who was rather sulkily staring at the mirror that continued to refuse his commands to display the only thing more boring than waiting for paint to dry.

"No, I really don't need anything. But this damn thing… Oh!" Had he possessed eyes, Momonga would have blinked in surprise when one of his wild gestures suddenly caused the screen to pan out. The rush of his successes temporarily clouded his mind, and he gave a short victory cheer.

"Congratulations, Momonga-sama! Truly magnificent!"

 _Is it really!? I just spent 10 minutes swinging a toy a kid could use and that's what you say!?_ Though he really did feel as if he was a kid who was being praised for something insignificant, Momonga nonetheless thought it would be rude to act in such a way towards Sebas when he clearly looked pleased at his success.

"Ah, uhm… Thank you Sebas. Aren't you mad at me for making you wait so long for anything to happen, though?" If it had been one of his friends, Momonga was sure they would've called him all kinds of stubborn by then and wrestled the mirror away from him. He could imagine the figure of Touch Me scolding him while Bukubukuchagama teased him and called him a "bonehead".

Sebas looked shocked at his master's words. "Nonsense! What are you saying, Momonga-sama!?" He exclaimed it as if the mere notion of being angry at his person was a freak thought. "To be at your side and grant your wishes is the duty of a butler such as I. There is no need to apologize, especially when you have been working so hard." Words more mellow, the butler next presented an inquiry to his lord. "Speaking of which, Momonga-sama… Would you like to take a break?"

"There's no need for that. As an undead I don't feel tired at all." That was the truth- Momonga felt that ailments such as fatigue, hunger or sleep would never bother him anymore. In the game, that had been one of the many benefits of playing an undead race- A tireless zombie had no need for anything but the negative energy that powered its existence, after all. "If you are tired however, Sebas…"

"Please do not worry yourself. Something like this is not enough to cause me fatigue, and even if it did there are items at hand that could waive such needs anyways. I would be grateful if you allowed me to accompany you until you are done scouting the surroundings."

The office slave turned lich wearily endured the butler's passionate gaze, and simply nodded his consent. He felt his own curiosity start to rise when he finally turned back to the mirror, which was then displaying a large area under a clear blue sky. He could see the grasslands just as clearly as before (much to his displeasure), but in the distance he thought that he could see the darker shade of what could possibly be a forest.

When he gestured to the mirror to take his eyes there, however…

"Oh…! Wheat fields! Then this must be…!" About ten kilometers away from the Tomb's current position was the first bastion of civilization that Momonga had sought. Though it looked no more than a hamlet, the freshly cared for farmlands and the picturesque houses in the distance proved to Momonga that this was no ghost town. More importantly, he could make out the tiny movements of people within the village itself, though there was something about the scene that bugged him…

When he swept at the screen in order to zero in on that view, he heard a brief gasp behind him. He did not need to turn his head to understand what it was that had surprised Sebas Tian.

"This isn't some kind of festival… right?" He muttered anxiously when he saw the frantic villagers, fleeing from their houses in a chaotic state that tugged at his mind.

"No… That's no festival." Sebas replied tightly, with a somber expression on his face. As Momonga continued to zoom in the view, his own expression also darkened.

It was a scene not unlike that of a medieval war movie. A company of knights spread across the village, bloody sword in hand as they gave chase and slaughtered the hapless villagers who had no means of defending themselves. It did not matter whether they were women or children, any the knights caught were given equal death.

Momonga immediately wanted to change the image. There was no sense in continuing to watch this bitter struggle, which brought a sour taste to his mouth. Even if he ordered his guardians to mobilize and stop the knights, what could that possibly gain him? He thought this without feeling an ounce of pity or sympathy towards the massacred villagers.

-But the moment he did, he immediately second-guessed himself. Had his undead form affected him to the point that he could no longer hold any positive towards mankind? He vaguely remembered the setting information of YGGDRASIL, in which most undead were created with an ingrained hatred towards the living. Was he going through a similar experience and was it influencing his thoughts so as to make him indifferent to the massacre happening before his eyes?

His reluctance to admit such a thing caused him to freeze up, halting his decision to abandon the village to its ultimate fate and instead linger on the nature of his own thoughts. His mind raced desperately, trying to seek out a justification for why he felt as if he shouldn't help the villagers hurt in front of his eyes.

Had he saved this for a later moment and abandoned the sight of the village, then the next events might have played in a radically different way. He may not have noticed in time, and missed the window of opportunity that would appear in the next few moments. If he had, then a different future might have played out.

Where the lonely Momonga was pressured by the expectations of his Guardians and his own vague memories of his friends to hold on to the first and last precious thing that he possessed, where he sacrificed all notions of his human life and took the mantle of his guild and character, reaching great heights to hurl himself to the height of glory and infamy alike, through any means necessary.

In hindsight, perhaps it was for the best that Momonga had never been the one to make rash and impulsive decisions. Just as he had been agonizing over his decision…

"...!? Momonga-sama, please look over there!"

-Sebas noticed it, the scene that would steer Momonga away from the clutches of another fate.

The Overlord immediately turned his head towards where Sebas had pointed at, and he immediately shared his disquiet. Quickly gesturing with his hands, he guided the mirror towards the strange event. There, pictured as clearly as the horrors of the massacre had been…

...Was one of the knights, writhing like a worm as he tried to escape from the thick layer of tar-like liquid that pasted him to the splintered walls of one of the village's houses. All of Momonga's movements halted, like a puppet that had its strings cut.

He recognized that lump of tar. There was no way that he couldn't have noticed something so obvious that showed such a large contrast to the relatively mundane scene from before. After all-

-That move, it resembled one of the racial skills used by one of his guild members.

"S-Sebas, more! Do you see anything else like that!?" Momonga felt a rush of excitement unlike any other surge through his body. He knew, he knew how unlikely it was for the scenario in his head to be true yet he still could not discard it the moment the possibility reared its head.

"...Yes! Please look over there!" Guided by Sebas' incredibly sharp eyesight, Momonga continued to look for similar signs of interference over the village fields. Past the knight were several more strange instances, such as unconscious men who were being apprehended by angry villagers or signs of heavy trauma on the houses that looked as if someone had fumbled his way through the road with a bulldozer.

With these obvious signs, it did not take the two of them long to find the source of the commotion.

The first he noticed was the beast. Its silver fur glistened in the sunlight, with a luster that spoke of a well-fed lifestyle. Though it was slightly marred with the sight of freshly stained blood, it also served to enhance its quality, giving it a more ominous look. Its scaled tail swished back and forth, its powerful muscles contracting as it disposed of another knight that had been hunting the awed villagers kneeling a way's away from the scene.

However… The sight of it immediately caused confusion to erupt in Momonga's heart.

 _Isn't that just a hamster!?_ There was no doubt about it, the monster that was throwing knights around left and right like they were crash test mannequins was nothing more than an oversized hamster, with a huge face, even larger eyes and long whiskers that twitched at the slightest movement.

"Momonga-sama! That person is…!"The lich was at first confused by Sebas' words and the way they rang with awe, but the moment he turned his eyes away from the hamster his eyes widened in recognition.

There was no way… That he could mistake the figure that his item reflected.

"Hero... hero… san…" Momonga mumbled out the words, as if he couldn't believe them himself. The tar-shaped slime on the mirror's screen was petite in comparison to the knight opposing it, but the moment the soldier swung his blade it side-stepped his attack with a movement not unlike that of flowing water, just to return to place with the force of a whip and hurl a mass of black sludge that caught the man on his breastplate and plastered him against a tree, with such force that the bark splintered and his face gasped in ardent agony.

"Momonga-sama…! What should we do?" Sebas questioned his master, for the first time finding himself without anything to say. There was no denying that he was just as moved by the vision of the slime creature as Momonga himself.

The Guildmaster of Nazarick straightened, the joy and relief in his heart giving way to a burning sense of duty that caused his next words to come out with the full force of his earlier statements. "Raise Nazarick's alert level to maximum and muster any forces that can form up quickly. Notify Albedo to gear up and follow me, we might need her physical defenses against any possible strong enemies. Prepare a detachment of stealthy monsters in case we need to deal with troublesome targets. I will go on ahead."

"It will be done, Momonga-sama! However, by my task as Momonga-sama's follower, I…"

 _He's taking that command so far? I just told him to follow me in the game for five minutes!_ Were he human, Momonga would have felt the urge to sweat. "Your duty is protecting the heart of Nazarick, Sebas. We cannot allow the 9th floor to go unsupervised. One of ours is already engaged in battle. Delaying our assistance any longer could prove to be a fatal mistake!"

All the while, Momonga had been following the movements of the slime which he suspected to be Herohero. It moved with surprising dexterity, such that Momonga would have had trouble following its movements were it just running nonstop. At the moment, it seemed to have disposed of a knight near the edge of the village and was apparently fussing over the form of two girls.

Without bothering to pay the strange scene any more attention, Momonga took out the staff of Ainz Ooal Gown and held it high, ready to make his grand entrance. His eyes transfixed on the black slime, he uttered a word that caused his very surroundings to quake with power.

"[ **Portal** ]."

The highest-ranked teleportation magic. A tear in reality manifested itself, bridging the distance between the locations to 'zero' in an instant. In the game setting, this was a spell that could even reduce the distance between worlds to such an insignificant number.

Without hesitation, Momonga strode through the gap in space. _Wait for me, Herohero-san._ He thought, eager to speak to his friend once again.

 _I will give you the greatest welcome in history, my friend!  
_

* * *

Enri Emmott thought that for sure, this was the worst day of her life. She had been forced to flee with Nemu as her parents were slain before her eyes, in a tragic moment that would forever linger in her mind. They had barely made it to the end of the village when her legs lost all strength, and she had to struggle in vain with the knight that had given pursuit.

It couldn't be helped. After all, an ordinary village girl would have never been able to escape from a fully armed, highly trained knight. That she had entertained thoughts of saving herself or her sister could only have been said to be the desperate delusions of a person fearing for their life. However, even when her entire body burned with the pain which the knight's steel had carved onto her back, Enri had refused to cowardly accept death. She would not lie there like a puppet with its strings cut.

That was why, even if it was for a second longer, she had embraced her sister with the intention to shield her body from the knight's attacks. Even if she could not escape death, she could at least save the only family she had left in this world.

However… How had everything developed into this scene…?

"AAAAHHH! WH-WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS!?" The knight screamed in horror, clutching at his right arm which had moments ago been brandishing a sword. The smoking, sizzling stump that continued to drip black tar on the ground would surely never wield such a blade again. Remnants of the man's hand could be seen resting on the ground, the appendage a mix of charred flesh and black bones that still clutched at a halfway dissolved sword that continued to melt under the strange black substance.

" _How could you…!?"_ A strange voice echoed through the clearing. It was muddled and bubbly, as if the person itself was speaking through water or other means. Nonetheless, it perfectly echoed through the ears of the two humans, who turned to stare at the direction where Enri had been fleeing from.

What they saw brought both shock and fear. The creature that advanced towards Enri and the knight was no chivalric savior, but a true monster. It crawled towards them on no legs, a formless mass of tar-like sludge which couldn't be considered to hold a solid shape. The expression on its face only vaguely resembled a human face, and its empty black sockets looked absolutely furious.

Enri inwardly shrunk when the monster's unyielding stare fell upon her and Nemu, and his expression seemed to take an even darker tone. " _She's just a girl… and a little kid too…!"_

"You goddamn monster! My fucking arm, AHH!" As if ignorant of his own peril, the knight continued to wail in agony and disbelief. Such was the degree of pain that the weaponized acid of an Elder Black Ooze inflicted on his arm. Had the slime been aiming for his death in that first strike, a merely serious glancing blow would have shortly dissolved the better half of his body.

However-

" _ **Shut up**_ _._ "

-Instant Death.

The moment the slime had turned to the knight, it defeated him in one blow. Having been unable to contain its rage, its whole form seemed to shudder before one of the thin, wisp-like tendrils that had resembled the slime's arms transformed into a giant fist of sludge that struck the knight with the sound and impact of a freight train.

Several trees collapsed on the path of the slime's attack, the grossly overpowered strike not even leaving behind any remnants of the knight other than a bloody smear and the crushed remnants of his armor, which were already dissolving under the slime's acid.

The slime's gaze seemed to linger on the scene, as if he were somehow hesitating, before something about his form seemed to harden in determination. Slowly, as if waking up from a dreamy haze, the monster began to turn the two girls.

"A-ah...! S-Stay away, please…!" Enri pleaded with an almost unhearable mutter, but the slime seemed to react to her words and recoiled like a marionette with its thread severed.

" _W-wait! I promise, I'm not here to hurt you! Look…!"_ The monster's threatening aura seemed to fade as soon as those words escaped his mouth. As the creature's form looked as if it was shuddering, Enri was greeted by the most bizarre scene she had ever witnessed in her short life.

The slime seemed to place an arm-tendril within itself… And pulled out a clean-looking vial whose red substance looked vaguely reminiscent like that of a potion. Not a single speck of the tar-like slime seemed to cling to the surface, which merely reflected the crystalline liquid.

" _H-here…"_ Stuttering in a shy, timid way completely unlike his earlier demeanor, the slime gently rolled the vial across the ground, where it bumped to a stop over Enri's feet. After staring at the scene with a blank face, Enri eventually picked up the bottle with her good hand. She looked at the slime with wary eyes.

" _Please drink that. It's a healing potion. If you don't, you might bleed out or your wounds might get worse."_ The slime fiddled with its arms, as if it was waiting for Enri's own reaction.

Enri looked down at the potion, coiled tightly on her fingers. Could she really trust a monster that had appeared out of nowhere and killed a human so easily? However, what choice did she have? Injured as she was, did a monster really need to resort to any sort of trickery to get her? Could she afford to risk death and leave Nemu alone in this situation?

Gulping down her fears, she popped the lid off the bottle and downed it in one go. Immediately, she felt an amazing feeling coursing through her entire body. The pain which had been so gravely ailing her back seemed to fade until it was nothing more than a bad memory. Even her mangled hand seemed to turn back to its former, pristine state.

She felt better than she had in weeks.

"B-big sis! You're okay!" Before she knew it Nemu's crying face was pressing against her chest, her desolate sobs wounding her heart in a way the healing potion could never mend. Before she realized it, tears were running down her face as well and she joined her sister in embracing each other.

" _Aahh… Somehow it feels embarrassing to look…"_ The slime had the decency to look sheepish, looking for all the world as if it'd just stuck around for something it shouldn't have seen.

But before this situation could develop any further-

"[ **Portal** ]."

-It was interrupted by the opening of a rift in space, a black void that reflected nothing but a distorted reality. From that realm of shadows, what Enri saw stepping forth was…

-To call it a person would be an insult to humanity. The mockery of life that crossed through that rift had the shape of a human and wore the clothes of a human, but it could never be called human. Burning red eyes glared from two hollow sockets in a chalk white skull, two miniature infernos swirling within something that should not be moving under its own power. The undead lord brandished a demonic staff the likes of Enri could not possibly comprehend, and she could not just hear but also sense the screams of the dead souls that surrounded its golden make. It was a true monster, which irradiated an aura of despair and death that had Enri shivering to the core.

At that moment-

Two people's emotions swirled with unexpected joy, in a fateful meeting that would alter the course of history.

"Herohero-san!?"

" _M-Momonga-san!"_

Enri and Nemu fainted immediately.


	2. The Dark Slime and the Virtuous King

**Before I start, a word of warning.**

 **This work is not based on the anime, but on the Light Novels of the series. Naturally, it will have spoilers. If you haven't read them yet, drop this story and go read them now. Really. They're extremely good.**

 **With that done, here's the next chapter.**

 **Chapter 2: The Dark Slime and the King of The Forest**

The Virtuous King of the Forest calmly hunted for its prey.

The forest that surrounded the Village of Carne was a vast thing, and as a biome untouched by the hands of humanity it was known for its abundance of non-human lives, especially monsters. Normally monsters would be found in any area no matter where you looked, as both demi-humans and the non-humanoid monsters tended to spread evenly across the world due to territorial or migrational issues.

However, this was different for the human kingdom Carne Village was part of. While the Re-Estize Kingdom did not possess the human superiority mindset of the Slane Theocracy, that did not mean it tolerated most of the non-human races that illegally roamed its territory. Elves and Dwarves were welcome, but uncivilized creatures such as Ogres and Goblins, who performed raids on human settlements, were not. Other even more monstrous races, such as the Basiliks and other man-eating wild predators or undead creatures which possessed a hatred for all life, much less so.

Because of this, the Kingdom had an independent Guild operating within its borders to regularly form subjugation parties that would exterminate any monsters that made their way to human settlements. These monster hunters, who numbered amongst the strongest fighters in the human race, were called Adventurers. They took tasks that civilians deemed too dangerous or troublesome, and were a purely humanitarian organization that sought to make the world a safer place for Re-Estize's citizens.

However, Carne Village had no adventurers on site. It did not even have a job board.

The reason for this laid inside the very heart of the monster-filled forest that surrounded the village. Normally, a target as appetizing as Carne Village without any adventurers on site would have long since been wiped out by goblin raids or attacks by other wild beasts. However, there was nothing ordinary about this forest.

In the wilderness of nature, only the strong may rule. This is the undisputed truth, a primal rule in social hierarchies that all life lives by in some way or another. In a place where the only territory one possessed was the one you can defend with your own strength, the only way to keep other interlopers away was to become strong. This rule also applied for the creatures living in the forest of Carne Village, and it just so happened-

-That this place housed three insanely strong monsters.

The first was the Serpent of the West, which had claimed all the western rim of the forest as its domain. It was one of the very rare monsters that had the ability to use magic to defeat its enemies. Paired with a strength rumored to be able to shatter the bark of trees and the agility of an arrow, and it was an insanely high-level monster whose Danger Rank would have exceeded that of 60 had its power been witnessed by adventurers.

The second was the Giant of the East, who earned its name from its massive stature and overwhelming physical power. It was on a similar caliber as the western guardian of the forest, and it ruled over a large fiefdom of ogres, goblins and other creatures. However, both of these fearsome monsters had a strong contender over their aims of ruling the forest.

That was- the unbeatable monster known as the Virtuous King of the Forest.

Having baptized itself with such a name, it was derogatorily called the Beast of the South by those who loathed the creature for taking such a large swathe of the forest for itself. Perhaps due to the blessing of some higher being or just mere coincidence, this territory found itself placed right between Carne Village and the monsters of the forest. In a way, it could be said that this monster was the true guardian of Carne, that kept the dangerous forces within the wilderness in check.

-In other words, he was majestic and noble creature who was the subject of silent worship and awe. At that moment, the great King of the Forest had begun to move, in search for its next meal.

It emerged from the darkness of the forest, slipping its mighty form between the trees as it cleared a path towards its goal. The fearsome beast moved without regard for anything that stood in its way, its rumbling stomach determined to be filled-

"Where are you, where are you~?" From the bushes came out the head of a hamster. There was no other way to describe the cute, round face that poked its head out from within the full mound of grass. It tilted its head left and right, whiskers twitching as its softball-sized eyes adorably scanned the surroundings.

"Muu, to think this King would be so hungry that he's searching for truffles to eat~ But this King will find them for sure!" Mumbling words in a childish, high-pitched voice, even speaking in third-person, everything about the creature seemed to be shaped in a way that would make girls squeal in delight.

"Come out, food! Come out, food~!" The creature squinted with eyes that held pupils so huge they did not fade to white but rather looked like shining black jewels as it took its form past the bush, revealing its silvery fur in all of its fluffy glory. A long, scaled tail swished left and right across the ground as the hamster-thing rubbed its snout on the ground, making sniff noises and skidding through the earth like the oversized rodent it was.

Occasionally it would rear its head up again, revealing a few specks of dirt lingering over his face. He'd then shake his round body and face while patting himself with his tiny pink hands, brushing away the little motes in a way that would leave half a school nursing heart attacks from their students.

Th-this was… The Virtuous King of the Forest.

"...O-oh! This King has found something! Food!" The King finally caught wind of a scent, which led him deeper within the bounds of his territory. He approached a large boulder that hung on a slope. Without missing a beat, the creature's round body seemed to blur before he simply flicked the rock out of his way, causing it to roll without control past the slope and casually knock over the unfortunate tree that had stood on its way.

"Yes! It's a huge bounty! As expected of the King!" Past where the rock had been was a feast fit for a King. Hundreds of mushrooms sprouted from the dank ambient that had been formed between the moss-filled rock and the surrounding trees, gleaming in all kinds of different colours that wet the mouth.

The ravenous King immediately dug in, filling his cheeks with the delicious nutrients of the mushrooms. Naturally, their bright colours would mean these mushrooms were highly poisonous, but the truth of the matter was that the Virtuous King was so strong they might as well have been mosquito bites to his constitution.

"Auwph, sthat hith the spoht!" Mouthed the King unintelligibly as he swallowed the the mushrooms that he'd collected inside his poach-like mouth. His face looked blissful as he ate, puffy cheeks of fur seemingly taken a pinkish tint as his happily narrowed eyes sparkled.

Such were the habits of this magnificent (cute) creature, it cared not for the obstacles that stood in its way for there was nothing that could stand against it. He was an apex predator who lived at the top of the food chain, and thus he could do whatever he pleased with no one to defy him.

But Kings often had to defend their fiefdoms.

"-! An intruder dares to step into this King's territory!?" Having finished filling his stomach, the monster had straightened its pose by resting his weight on his feet and tail. Though he puffed his chest in indignation and seemed to have attempted to show a menacing face, it was mitigated by the fact that the creature was, in fact, a giant Djungarian Hamster.

Puffing its cheeks in rage, the monster turned from its feast and departed towards the source of the intruding scent with the speed of a bullet. Trees whizzed past its body, and any branches that bumped into him broke on the steel-like composition of his deceptively soft-looking fur.

The giant hamster with the durability of an armored car skidded to a halt over the ledge of another slope, and looked down on the one that had intruded on his territory. What he saw was-

A large canine monster, feasting on the dead carcass of what looked like a demi-human. Its fur was black as the night, and long chains wrapped protectively around his body in a way that appeared to be magical in nature. This was one of the common servants of the other rulers of the Forest of Tob- A Barghest.

The wolf paused from its feeding when the King of the Forest entered the scene. Its ears perked up, and as if whipped it turned towards the slope where the furious King gazed down on it. Even though it was a mere animal that run on instinct- No, perhaps it was because it ran on instinct, it immediately noticed the strength of its adversary.

The Barghest immediately turned tail and fled, moving at an inhuman speed in order to escape the other monster.

However, it would not get the chance. The moment it intruded into the King's forest-

"[ **Blind** ]!"

-Its fate was sealed.

One of the eight sigils in the King's body shone as one of his spell-like abilities activated. The surprised wolf's vision immediately vanished, which caused it to stumble in surprise. Though normally this would've been the end of it, a Barghest did not rely at all on its vision, as it had a heightened sense of smell and hearing.

However, as the Barghest corrected its senses and tried to flee the scene once again-

-It was already too late.

"You won't escape! [ **Haste** ]!"

Third-tier acceleration magic, Haste. It was a spell that was deeply coveted by the adventurers of this world. A warrior who had mage capable of casting this spell supporting him would be able to act almost twice as fast as before, allowing him to handle targets on a level far above him.

The King's body appeared to blur from sight. His physical ability, which had already neared the realm of heroes and legendary beasts, doubled over the span of a single second.

One moment the Barghest had leapt towards the copse of trees-

-The next, he had been flattened by the King's massive tail just as a tremendous noise erupted across the forest. There was no need to assess the damage dealt- If the Barghest's organs hadn't been crushed in the initial impact, the shockwave would have torn him to ribbons anyways.

It was an instant death. The wolf collapsed like a puppet that had its strings cut.

"Huhuhu! This King is victorious once again! This King is invincible!" The arrogant King voiced, throwing up its snout as if waiting for someone to praise him. However, the only thing that could be heard was the chattering of insects and the sounds of its own breaths.

"I'm alone again..." The creature made a complicated expression, as tears formed at the corner of his eyes. Ever since he had become self-aware, he had wanted to meet another member of his species so that he could have someone to co-exist with. It would have been especially wonderful if it had been a female. One wouldn't think about it when they looked at him, but a large part of the King of the Forest's thoughts were on companionship and the continuation of his species.

A mysterious creature, whose past was murky at best and lived a life in sheltered solitude, as the custodian of a village in the middle of nowhere.

-Perhaps, this was the best place for the ridiculous events that would soon play out.

The creature's reverie was broken by a loud crashing sound. Its head snapped towards the distant source, and it furrowed its brows in an expression akin to angry excitement. "Another challenger!? This King will show no mercy!" Still blessed with godspeed thanks to his Haste spell, the beast quickly made its way to the distant sound.

The world around him blurred as he moved, leaving behind the dead Barghest to rot as he made its way to the next foe. He moved with catlike grace despite his speed and weight, skipping up a creek by using the stones as leverage to cross the water. Eventually he sensed it, the peculiar smell of the foreign intruder. It was surprisingly odorless: all he recognized was the faint burning smell of a monster that was rarely seen in forests- A slime.

Finally, the king took one last turn from a particularly large copse and made his way to the strongest source of the smell, breaking through the forestry into a small clearing. "Aha! This King has found you, intruder! Now prepare to…"

Whatever words he was about to say died in his throat.

- _I'm going to die_.

That thought immediately raced through his mind.

It was said that animals had an innate sense for the strength of other living beings, in order to correctly assess whether one was prey or predator. It was the reason why the wolf had chosen to flee rather than fight the King, and it was how the smartest beasts managed to thrive in the wild against stronger creatures.

As a kind of animal himself, the King of the Forest thus understood that the creature in front of him was completely invincible. No- That would be an understatement. It was untouchable- An existence so far above it could only be a demon or some form of god.

The dark lump shifted, having been aware of the King's movements even before he had made it to a visible location. It was an eldritch creature with no shape or consistency, and waves of black, tar-like ooze rippled across his constantly moving surface. It might have been his imagination, but the King thought that the surroundings were becoming corrupted by the being's presence the longer it lingered in the spot.

Two deep pools of darkness turned on the King of the Forest, gazing at him with an empty expression. As soon as its eyes found the King's, it seemed to freeze as if tensing for a fight. The beast found itself unable to move: being gazed at by a being who projected a magnitude of power he had never seen before had left it unable to even think from its 'fight or flight' instincts going haywire.

A second passed by. After what seemed like an eternity, another followed. At around the time that the fifth second of the two monsters doing nothing but stare at each other had passed the slime-like, eldritch monster…

It blinked. Then spoke.

" _...Eh? It's a hamster?"_ A strange and bubbly voice emerged from its mouth, laced in what could be understood at confusion.

The sudden stop to the staring contest ground the King's mind to a halt, and it did the only thing that would have even a slight chance of preventing his existence from ending right there.

-That was, he flipped over and exposed his defenseless belly in a gesture of submission. "This King surrenders! This King begs for his life!"

The silence stretched on again.

Until-

" _-EEEHHH!? IT TALKED!?"_ A surprised cry cut through the sky.

* * *

How on earth had this happened to him?

Hiroto Kazuo remembered it clearly. It had been the last day that YGGDRASIL, the amazing DMMO that he had spent a lifetime playing on, would remain open. He had been sad to see it go, but because of pressure from his boss and expectations towards an approaching deadline on one of their projects, he'd been unable to give the passing of his favorite game the time of mourning it deserved.

In the end, he had only logged in as 'Herohero' for a few minutes in order to say farewell to his guildmaster, who had personally requested one last get-together before the closure of the servers. Kazuo held nothing but fond memories about Momonga, their timid yet resolute Guildmaster that had defended the status of their guild with all of his willpower for 12 years without pause. Some would have found his fanaticism towards the guild to border in the obsession, but Kazuo thought that it was because of Momonga that he had been able to enjoy himself even long after most of Ainz Ooal Gown's members called it quits.

He could also understand Momonga's sentiment. As a programmer, Kazuo had always been proud of his creations. Back when he was still working part-time jobs for small-time companies during his time at university, Kazuo had thrown himself into doing his part to make Ainz Ooal Gown the perfect home that it had become. Together with Luci Fer and four other programmers, he'd worked out the combat AIs and behavioral patterns for all of Ainz Ooal Gown's custom NPCs. Because he had been at 'that age' at the time, he had also personally designed and paid for a full third of the non-combat maids that had worked on Nazarick's 9th Floor, something that still brought him a shred of embarrassment.

-Nonetheless, he had never regretted his actions. Kazuo had deeply loved Ainz Ooal Gown and Nazarick, and had seen it as a second home.

But it couldn't be helped. Fantasy was fantasy, and reality was reality. In the end, even if Kazuo hadn't given up on YGGDRASIL and his adventures on Herohero, the economy told a different story. He had understood that YGGDRASIL was a dead game. There would have been no point in playing on a private server even if modern hardware made it possible, since all of their achievements would have been erased.

His last minutes in YGGDRASIL, recalling those times with his guild… If Kazuo could have likened it to anything, it would have to have been a dream. That dream had been YGGDRASIL, and the dreamer had been Kazuo. Yet, all dreams eventually end. When he awoke from his last time in that dream, then Kazuo should have been facing reality. However-

-Another dream.

That was the situation that Hiroto Kazuo… That Herohero had found himself on.

 _I'm a slime._ _I'm an actual slime_. The thought echoed dully inside the former programmer's head as his body shifted up and down, as if he was hopping. That was because at the moment he was riding on some kind of magical beast that his brain could only associate as 'a freaking gigantic hamster'.

After having fumbled through an empty forest for nearly an hour, Herohero had ran into this beast by almost complete accident, and no sooner had he realized that he was seeing a giant _hamster_ of all things did the monster proclaim his surrender and start begging for his life in a childish voice that would have made Bukubukuchagama (Also known as 'Teapot', or 'Potty' for those who were feeling brave) jealous.

Just trying to reason the beast's motives brought a headache to his tired and confused mind, so Herohero had just let it come along for the ride. He tried to tell it to just go, but somehow or another the beast thought it was just trying to make him give chase for the thrill of it, and so it'd begged over and over to be allowed to pay for its insolence. It was something like that, he really couldn't understand the thoughts of a giant hamster.

He'd never had a pet before, but it couldn't hurt at least so he decided he might as well go along with whatever this crazy dream had planned for him. He figured it might have had something to do with those meds he had started taking for migraines ever since the project started, but one couldn't be too sure.

So it'd been with that thought in mind that Herohero just told him to 'do what it wanted', and 'follow him if it wanted to', in the same polite and reserved tone he naturally used to address everyone. To that answer, the hamster's reply was…

" _Y-Yes! Master! This King will follow you to the ends of the earth! I am your unworthy servant, de gozaru~!"_

In other words, a headache.

 _At least he's soft…_ Herohero gently brushed the fur of the creature, as it continued to walk along with the slime on its back acting as some kind of rider. The fur that should've resisted like steel bent easily under the unknowing slime's titanic strength, to the extent that the King of the Forest shivered whenever it was touched.

The reason why the creature hadn't half-melted into gastric juices by then was because Herohero had already figured how to control his acidic constitution, long before he had met the nameless beast. _Speaking of, I should give it a name. ...Well, it's cute, so how about Momonga?_ As he thought that he felt as if a shiver ran down his spine, so he quickly shook his head. _Let's just give it a normal one._

" _Hmm, he's white and soft but he could have a cool-sounding name, so maybe a different notation of 'Onigiri'? Wait, he might get scared if I call him after food…"_ Herohero muttered, thinking hard as to what name he could give the beast. " _Tempura, Oden, Ramen… No no stop thinking about food."_ If he had eyebrows, he would have frowned.

Suddenly, a spark of realization cut through him.

" _Hamsuke!"_ Like that, the slime slapped Hamsuke's head, causing it to jump and stand still. " _Do you mind if I call you that? You never really gave me your name. Um, my name is Ka- ...Herohero, by the way."_

"Understood, Herohero-sama! This King will go by the name of Hamsuke from now on!"The beast seemed to puff up its chest, as if proud that it had been given a name.

 _I wonder how'd he react if I told him I picked that name after Hamtaro, though_ … The YGGDRASIL player thought, thinking back to the ancient cartoon that had been popular among kids generations ago.

…

" _So, there's really a village of people nearby?"_ Herohero asked Hamsuke, after they had passed the creek which Hamsuke had jumped over minutes ago.

After the heat of their initial introduction had worn off, Herohero had become more accustomed to having the presence of Hamsuke around him. He'd found out that Hamsuke was in fact one of the three strongest monsters in the forest, and that the territory he had been protecting as his own neighbored a village of humans that regularly sent him offerings.

 _Did I just shanghai someone's Hamster god?_ That was the wild thought that raced across Herohero's head when he heard the hamster's words, but he decided speaking of it would be an exercise in futility.

He had also learned a bit more about the dream world he was in. After fooling around with his body for a while, he'd discovered that his character was incredibly similar to his game avatar in YGGDRASIL, to the point where Herohero could sense his own 'HP' and 'MP' and that he had access to his freaking item box, not to mention if he thought hard he could recall a list of every skill and spell he had learned.

This brought him to the conclusion that he was evidently dreaming about YGGDRASIL, that or he had finally gone mad from office hell and the myriad of deadlines that plagued his company.

He'd read about these things before, back when he was in high school. Things such as being transported into the game world or having to face a 'death game' where death in the virtual world meant death in real life as well, they were all common tropes in modern literature. Well, as technology had advanced people's ideas had become even wilder than those, but the theme was essentially the same.

If he thought about common JRPG tropes, then running into an introductory village during his dream made sense. Something like a village of farmers, where one of them kept reciting the same greeting line over and over again no matter how many times they talked to him…

-That, and he hoped that talking to another person would help him wake up.

"Yes, master! This king has never spoken to them, but he's sure that humans live this way! _"_ Hamsuke replied, as he made his way through the trees and towards the village at a leisurely pace.

" _Hmm, that's good. ...Say, do you hear something?"_ Herohero squinted his eyes. He thought he could make out the sound of faint cries or shouting. At this distance it just sounded like someone was excited, but he couldn't be too sure.

"Huh? Now that Master mentions it… Oh, this king does! That must be the humans!" When it realized that the creature started to move faster, eager to carry out Herohero's command. Herohero did not have trouble keeping up, but something else made him start to worry.

That was, the screams that became clearer as the distance closed.

 _That doesn't sound like they're having fun_ … Was what he thought, shortly before Hamsuke emerged from the forest and revealed the wooden houses in the distance, that could have only belonged to that village. That village which fit perfectly in Herohero's make-believe, dream world illusion…

It shattered completely.

 _Wh-what is this!?_

The player-turned-slime witnessed a massacre.

The only way to describe the scene was chaos. Where Herohero had been expecting happy villagers toiling the fields what he'd found instead were crowds of frantic villagers fleeing from dozens of blurs he soon recognized as mounted knights, who didn't hesitate to swing their swords at the hapless humans and spill their blood on ground.

Herohero stared at the scene with muted shock. This wasn't what he'd expected. The fantasy he'd faced so far had been fun, if silly, and he'd just taken the situation in an innocuous way. However, the terrible scene that he was he beholding with his own eyes couldn't be passed off as something that would come from a dream. It was most definitely a terrible event that would only happen in 'reality'.

"Muu… Looks like the humans are fighting each other, Master! What shall we do?" Hamsuke stared at Herohero expectantly seemingly unworried about the conflict that was going on before them.

Herohero wanted to ask the hamster how could he be so calm under such a situation, but he also realized that something was wrong. Even though he should've felt horror at the sight of the villagers being massacred, he felt calm as if he hadn't been thrown into a matter of life and death.

It could be that he still thought of this as a dream. It might just have been his character's immunity to the fear status. Whatever it was, Herohero didn't let it inconvenience him at that time.

It was true, he didn't feel horror at the scene of the villagers being killed. But looking as a woman was killed in front of his eyes by a faceless knight in cold blood, he couldn't help but get angry.

Not just murderers, but bullies as well. If he could find a word for what he thought of the soldiers then, it would most definitely have been 'scum' or worse.

It's not that he had to help, but-

" _Let's go, Hamsuke. We're going to save those villagers!"_ Extending a tendril forwards, Herohero pointed at the village with determination in his gaze. Hamsuke's fur bristled at the command, as he tensed in preparation.

"Master's so kind! Then, this king will go! [ **Haste** ]!" Hamsuke's sigils lit up, and his speed doubled once again in order to reach the village as fast as he could. As the plains blurred past them in an instant, Herohero just blinked.

 _He casted Haste…? Is there anything this hamster doesn't do-!?_

…

Before he knew it, they'd arrived to the village. The first to notice them were two of the knights which had been near a house. They had been assaulting two people, a middle-aged woman with brown hair whose face already looked bruised and a similar-aged man who was slumped on the ground. The blood that pooled below him informed Herohero as to what his state was.

"Fuck, she bit me!" Shouted one of the knights as he manhandled the woman, who'd bit him when he had tried to grab at her face. His reply was to backhand her across the face so hard that she collapsed, like a doll with its twine snapped.

"Just kill her already, we've got work to- Hey!" The knight, upon noticing the two incoming figures, shouted at his comrade in order to draw his attention. "What the fuck is that!? Th-they're monsters!?"

"Monsters at this time? What are you talking a... Huh? That's…!" The other knight turned to look at what had distracted them from their work, only to go pale as he saw the creatures coming towards them.

" _You."_ The first and clearly dominant creature stated as it stepped down from the larger beast, calling their attention with an inhuman voice no vocal chords could imitate. " _I'm not going to ask you twice. Step away from that woman and drop your weapons."_

The knights took a step back in shock, but didn't act further than that. That was because the scene was too surreal. They had been sent on an extermination job in order to muster negative relations between the Re-Estize Kingdom and the Baharuth Empire. Nowhere in their job had it been said that they would be expected to fight against magical beasts.

More importantly, they couldn't say much about the slime, but the large monster at his side… What a truly magnificent and horrifying beast!

"H-Huh!? Don't screw with me, monster! Just what do you care!?" The second knight looked at the first with wide eyes as he said this, but as the other nodded they both took up their weapons and turned towards the two monsters.

 _Shit. They called my bluff. What now?_ Herohero was worried. Hamsuke had said he was one of the strongest monsters, so he was fairly confident that he was at least strong enough to fight these knights, but just how strong were humans in this world? Did he have a chance as a mere slime?

Seeing the slime's hesitation, the knights seemed to grow more confident. One of them stepped towards him, slowly at first and then took up a run as he lifted up his sword.

Herohero restrained the urge to panic, and decided that he might as well try.

 _Here goes nothing!_

"[ **Gelatinous Prison** ]!" Herohero's arm suddenly convulsed and a mass of black sludge shot out. The projectile was so fast that it shattered the air as it travelled and slammed into the knight before he could react, sending him sprawling for several meters before he impacted the ground in a crater-shaping explosion.

"-! What… What just happened…?" The second knight blinked. He did not understand where his comrade-at-arms had gone. There had been a black blur and suddenly the figure in front of him had been no more. At that moment-

The sharp sound of yelling cut through the air.

"SHIT! My body! I-I can't move! What the fuck is…" The source was the knight from before, who was squirming under a mass of squirming black sludge that restrained his movements. Every time he struggled the binds that enveloped him seemed to grow thicker, and the way his body contorted couldn't possibly speak well for his future health.

Racial Skill, [Gelatinous Prison].

As an Elder Black Ooze, many of Herohero's racial abilities were based around transforming his body's mass and chemical compounds in some way or another. Though higher-level skills featured more magical effects in touch with his 'curse slime' setting, Gelatinous Prison was one of the mid-tier slime skills that was nonetheless highly usable under both PvE and PvP settings.

By splitting his body, Herohero could create a mindless ooze that he could throw as a projectile to latch onto a single enemy target. If caught, the target would be forced to engage in a grapple check with the mindless ooze, who would prevent him from taking any physical actions as long as he was captured.

However, the spell Ooze's HP and STR rating scaled not only with magic power, but also with the user's level and their own stats. For Herohero, who had low magic power but high strength, this was a perfect stun skill that allowed him to grapple targets without immobilizing his own actions. Even another Level 100 player would be inconvenienced for a short time by this skill.

 _Well, at this level even a 6th or 7th tier fire spell would be enough to melt the sludge in one shot, but that's good enough right?_ Thought Herohero, desperately wishing the knights did not have mages capable of using such spells.

"L-Lionel!" The knight turned to his comrade and tried to pull him out of the sludge, but the ooze held firm to his friend's body, latching on as if it had a mind of its own. "D-Damn it!" He pulled and pulled until his grip was thrown off, and he immediately turned towards the slime that continued to look on. "You bastard! Let him go or I'll-!"

" _Hamsuke. Can you take care of him?"_ Herohero muttered quietly, as he started to walk over towards the woman on the ground.

"Right away, Master!" The moment it said that, Hamsuke vanished from thin air.

"Wha-" Was the only thing the nameless knight managed to say before he was flattened against the wall by the hamster-like magical beast's tackle.

Herohero frowned as he examined the woman. The man was a hopeless case, but the woman still lived, albeit that blow from before had almost snapped her neck. If he were a Rainbow Ooze or a similar support-based slime he could've crafted healing fluids with his body, but since he wasn't the best he could do was search for an item that would do the job.

" _Let's see… This potion?"_ Herohero took a mid-quality health potion from his inventory. The ornate vial had a brightly glowing red liquid that seemed to glitter in the sunlight. Since he was a fan of old RPGs and also had the job of Alchemist, Herohero's inventory was filled with meaningless stacks of various potions.

Although some of them were of use for max-level players, most of them were trash that would only be useful for people still climbing up the level curve or trying to chicken out of learning magic as much as possible. For example, Herohero had a stack of 99 Haste Potions, but such 3rd tier magic was useless when most high-level players had at least one item with a permanent 'Haste' enchantment.

This item was a [Large Healing Potion], which was capable of healing over 1000 HP in one sitting. Compared to the Medium Potion, which healed 250 HP and was considered effective until level 30, this one was of great use all the way to level 60. Potions tended to be expensive in YGGDRASIL in order to limit potion abuse during battles, so this healing effect was actually very potent compared to most potion effects.

In other words, Herohero was confident that a potion of this caliber would be enough to completely restore the woman. Looking over her, he realized feeding her the liquid through the mouth would be difficult, so he decided he might as well try using it on her wound.

However…

-Instant recovery.

The moment a few drops touched the woman's face, it healed completely as if the wounds had never existed.

 _W-well, that's that I guess._ Staring blankly at the unconscious lady, he simply put the potion on his inventory again and silently scolded himself for using a mid-level potion on a villager that was most likely level 1.

" _Now, what should I do?"_ Herohero looked at his arms while he ignored the bound knight's screams for help. It was clear he could deal with the knights, but one thing was stopping the knights from killing people and the other was saving the people from being killed themselves.

An idea rushed into his head. If the knights were weak enough, then maybe…

Herohero decided to activate one of his mid-level daily skills.

"[ **Black Ooze Mitosis** ]!" Suddenly Herohero's body seemed to swell, and as if vomiting he spat out a similar-sized mass of sludge. As soon as it touched the ground the sludge started to smoke and swell, until it slowly began to rise in a similar way to his own avatar.

The slime was at first identical to Herohero, though its shade of color was noticeably lighter than his own. However, its body suddenly started to change from its shapeless mud aspect towards a finer look. It grew taller and more humanoid, as the layer of slime shapeshifted to become more like layers of armor. Its two empty eyes began to glow red, as its two arm-tendrils suddenly shape-shifted into wicked-looking blades.

" _I live to serve, Elder One."_ The second slime started with a soft-spoken voice, kneeling in a gesture of absolute respect for the superior figure standing before it.

 _That line wasn't in the game…_ Herohero wearily stared at the summoned monster in front of him. In YGGDRASIL's setting, Elder Oozes were those which had slowly developed a vast intelligence and wisdom over hundreds of years of preying over their selected food. Black Oozes were known for feeding in swamps or other unpleasant places, and because of this were thought to be a cursed species.

This was an [ **Apostle Black Ooze** ], creatures of around level 30 that accompanied the higher-leveled Elder Oozes in an encounter. Since Elder Oozes as mobs tended to use magic, the Apostles instead focused on using melee abilities to harass players while inflicting damage over time status effects using their acid passive. Black Oozes were particularly nasty, because they could also inflict debuffs.

Herohero pointed towards the village, where the chaos continued. " _Let's see, um… Your name shall be Jel'O! Jel'O, go and fight the knights attacking this village! Don't let them hurt another villager again!"_

" _Your will be done, Elder One."_ Jel'O bowed, and immediately raced towards the sounds of battle where more of the knights appeared to be chasing the villagers.

 _That felt so weird…_ Herohero shook his head to clear away his dubious thoughts, and summoned Hamsuke to his side. He couldn't allow himself to dally any longer. In the first place, the reason he was doing this was because he couldn't allow himself to stand by while these scumbags did whatever they wanted.

" _Follow me, Hamsuke! We're going to make them pay for their crimes!"_

"Yes, master! This king will crush every puny human in our way!"

 _Ah, crushing them is a bit…_ Herohero cursed inwardly, deciding it didn't matter anyways. " _Alright. Let's go, Hamsuke!"_

…

"Wh-what the fuck is this thing!?" A knight screamed, before a mass of sludge buried him on one of the wall's wooden houses, which barely managed to hang together.

"I-Invincible! It's invincible!" Said another one as he tried to run away, but a long black tendril stretched out for several meters and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back as if he'd been hurled off his feet. Herohero pulled the knight to him and raised him with both arms over his head.

" _HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"_ The tiny slime shouted, as it held a combined weight of over a hundred kilos with literal noodle arms.

"IYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The knight screamed like a little girl as the slime pulled him over and swung him like a sack of potatoes against the ground, in a move that would have pro-wrestling announcers screaming God's name several times over. The ground cracked as the knight immediately went limp, unconscious if not outright dead.

"Master is so cool, de gozaru~!" Hamsuke praised Herohero as he played with the body of an unconscious knight, batting him left and right with its tail like he was a beach ball.

The rescued villagers just stared mutely at the two, unsure of how they were supposed to feel.

 _Alright, I feel better about this already!_ Thought Herohero, thinking about how many villagers he'd saved already in such a short span of time. He was worried that Jel'O might have gone and done something dumb, but since he had summoned it he could at least expect it to follow his commands, right?

...

" _The Elder One said to make sure you don't hurt another villager again."_ Jel'O said to the screaming knight, who was staring in shock at his arm, or the lack thereof. " _You will not do so if you cannot swing a sword for the rest of your life. Be grateful that you are an instrument to My Lord's kindness."_

The knight just kept on screaming.

Jel'O sighed. It should have just killed them in the first place. But then again… They couldn't fight if they were dead, could they?

Had it a mouth, Jel'O would have smiled.

" _Now then, let's take care of that other one, alright?"_

Blood splashed across the air, and the screams intensified.

 _..._

 _Probably not._ Herohero sighed as he took care of the last knight that had been bothering the villagers in this area. The area was full of the twitching bodies of the knights he'd captured, as well as those few that he'd killed by getting out of hand.

 _I killed them… Yet I don't feel bad about it at all. That's so fucked up…_ Now that the danger had let up for a bit, Herohero pondered on the meaning of that. Since he hadn't panicked yet and was adapting so easily to his new body, he could only think that it had to do with the changes he'd gone through.

In truth, Herohero had known all along that this was not a dream. It had just taken him time to accept it. No dream could ever feel as real as this. YGGDRASIL had been a mere imitation of reality- This did not merely surpass it, but felt as if it was an even more fantastical and life-like reality than the one Herohero himself had been living out as Kazuo.

But… If this was reality, then what about him? The real him, who had been sitting in front of his computer, with his Diving Gear connected to his brain?

Perhaps, the life of Hiroto Kazuo had already…

-Herohero's dark thoughts were cleared away when he heard two screams cut through the air, one that of a young girl and the other…

His eyes widened to an almost impossible degree.

 _THEY WOULDN'T-!?_

" _HAMSUKE! I'll be back soon, take care of the rest!_ " Sounding almost desperate, Herohero took off in the direction of the scream at a speed entirely unsuited for a slime. Any thoughts of delaying his actions flew out of his mind the moment he heard the scream of a distressed child. To the villagers who witnessed his actions he basically seemed to disappear from the spot, leaving his voice behind.

Herohero just hoped he wasn't too late.

...

"Big sis!" He arrived just in time to see the knight strike the older girl with his sword, making the two young girls collapse to the ground. He hadn't missed where that sword had been aimed at, though- Had the older girl not acted, the one who would have been struck was…

Herohero saw red.

He was angry.

He'd never been so angry before in his life.

Even if his heart tried to calm him, it was impossible for his rage to be quenched so easily. Every second he saw the young child's expression of despair, his anger spiked back to maximum.

Herohero did not think, at that moment. He merely _acted_.

Extending one of his arms, the tendril shot out as it twisted, acquiring the texture and form of a bladed spear. Like an arrow in flight, it struck its target with absolute precision.

The result-

"AAAAAH! Wh-what the fuck is this!?" The assailant yelled, looking at his right arm which had melted all the way through the forearm thanks to Herohero's [ **Acid Splash** ] passive skill.

" _How dare you…!?_ " Herohero looked at the two girls, and the two sets of absolutely terrified eyes that stared back at him. He saw the little girl, whose eyes desperately switched between looking at him, the knight and her wounded sister in frenzied panic. " _She's just a girl… And a little kid too!"_

"You goddamn monster! Ahh, my fucking arm! Give it back!"The knight collapsed to his knees, tears falling out of his eyes as he clutched the smoking stump that had been his right arm.

The normally sympathetic Herohero, at that time, thought he was pathetic.

" _ **Shut up**_ _._ "

He hadn't realized he had seriously attacked with his full power until the knight that had been pulverized beyond the bark of several leveled trees, and the dust of his blow was rising around them.

He didn't feel anything about what he had just done.

There was no shame, or regret.

The only thing that surged… Was personal satisfaction at having achieved justice.

He turned to the two girls.

"A-ah...! S-Stay away, please…!" She said it with such a thin voice that she might as well had not at all, but it stopped Herohero all the same. He looked down at his own body, and for the first time in a while felt a sensation akin to embarrassment.

He slowly lifted his hands up, his beady black eyes quirking non-threateningly. " _W-wait. I promise, I'm not here to hurt you. Look…!_ " Reaching out with his hand, he drew into his inventory and pulled out a potion- A minor one, this time.

" _H-here…"_ He rolled over the potion to her side, careful not to make any motions that might her scare away. He knew he would be if he had just witnessed a slime monster casually punch someone to death.

Weathering the girl's gaze of distrust, he continued. " _Please drink that. It's a healing potion. If you don't, you might bleed out or your wounds might get worse."_

There was a long silence at his words, as the girl seemed to ponder the risks and benefits of taking the potion. Herohero, who understood her circumstances simply waited patiently. Eventually, she seemed to nod to herself and drank the potion in one go.

Watching as her wounds were mended instantly, Herohero sighed in relief.

 _Man, that was exhausting_. Herohero felt the urge to slump against a tree. He had just crash-landed on a foreign world, met a godlike magical hamster and made it his pet, fought a company of generic fantasy evil knights all the while dealing with it as a goddamned slime of all things.

Herohero wasn't a fool. He knew that things like this happened, even back in his world during the 22nd century, war had never changed. But to see it personally, to watch as people were murdered in cold blood, to see the absolute despair in their faces and their fear at their lives ending in such a way, it made him feel deeply disgusted. Even if he didn't feel fear that paralyzed him from accepting it, he could never like something as grim as war.

Even during YGGDRASIL, Herohero hadn't wanted to kill other players. He did so, and his friends did as well- But it had always been about defending their name, or setting things right through petty means that were ultimately harmless. He did not feel any kind of rush from wishing death on others.

"Big sis! Y-You're okay!" Herohero turned at the sound of the child crying out, and got to see the two girls embracing each other as the adrenaline finally left them as relief started to set in. The sight of the two of them crying over each other, cherishing their lives so much, brought a smile to his nonexistent face.

 _That's much better._

But…

" _Aaah… Somehow it feels embarrassing to look…"_ He awkwardly rubbed at his neck, looking sheepish that he was just hanging there staring at such a warm scene.

Just as he was about to say something-

"[ **Portal** ]."

 _9th tier magic!?_ _-Not good!_ Faster than the two village girls could react, Herohero flashed from his position and moved in front of them, hands splayed open in a protective gesture. In front of him was a tear in reality that was only possible to use by high-level magic caster types in YGGDRASIL.

Had he just done something stupid? Had his actions against the knights aroused the ire of a terrible enemy on the level of other Level 100 Players? Just as Herohero thought he was out of the frying pan and into the fire…

-The one who stepped from the Portal, caused his eyes to go wide.

Herohero froze, as if he couldn't believe who he was looking at.

He was no enemy. There was no way the person in front of him could be his enemy, because they had been talking to each other hours ago. Herohero felt a rush of relief flood in from an issue he had not even considered yet.

Far from being paralyzed when the Overlord's inquisitive gaze fell on him, what Herohero did was simply to put his arm inside his item box, finding the item he wanted in a matter of instants.

What he pulled was a silver ring, with a glowing ruby that reflected a single, familiar crest on it.

The moment the Overlord's eyes rested on it, his entire face seemed to lit up.

"Herohero-san!?" It was the voice of his Guildmaster, Momonga. It felt way more ominous than his game voice, but Herohero could feel the relief that came from it.

" _M-Momonga-san!"_ He replied, feeling as if he was about to cry with relief.

Neither of them heard the sound of the two girls fainting from the horror of seeing two incomprehensible monsters exchange greetings from out of nowhere.

* * *

 _ **Next:**_ _Battle for Carne Village_

 **HEROHERO**

 **The Dark Slime that Seeks Ars Magna**

 **Alignment:** 100 - Neutral~Good

 **Job** : 41 Supreme Beings

 **Residence:** Great Tomb of Nazarick

 **Stats** :

 **Race Lvl 30**

Slime Lv. 15

Black Ooze Lv. 10

Elder Black Ooze Lv.5

 **Job Lvl 70**

Striker Lv. 10

Champion Wrestler Lv. 10

Shapeshifter Lv. 10

Alchemist Lv. 15

Other

 **Ability Chart**

 **HP** : 100 (Extremely High)

 **MP** : 55 (Average)

 **PATK** : 75 (High)

 **PDEF** : 80 (High)

 **AGI:** 60 (Above Average)

 **MATK** : 45 (Average)

 **MDEF** : 75 (High)

 **RESIST** : 90 (Very High)

 **SPECIAL** : 80 (High)


	3. 1st Battle for Carne Village

**Chapter 3: Battle for Carne Village**

The first battle for Carne Village was often considered by historians to be an insignificant footnote in the conflicts that would follow it, but the truth is that it was the root for many of the succeeding events. Had the soldiers masquerading as knights from the Baharuth Empire managed to successfully raze the village, it was likely that history would have unveiled in an entirely different way.

Back then, Carne Village was no more than a frontier town of farmers that largely grew a single crop all year round and did not even have a temple to care for their wounded, instead relying on the help of a young pharmacist who had not even become a man. It did not breed strong warriors, nor was it a political hotbed or contested as territory. It was truly a backwater town who only a few people of importance valued.

It should have been unthinkable for a place as small as Carne Village to have far-reaching consequences on world-wide history. -However, it was not impossible.

It was said that miracles were nothing more than a rare series of coincidences playing out in successive order. In the case of Carne Village, the chance for these ranged from the understandable to freak accidents of nature. However, they all took place within an extremely short timespan.

Out of these numerous coincidences, there were three of them all that would forever steer the world in a different direction.

First, the circumstances that had led to Carne Village being attacked. The behind-the-scenes clash between the Kingdom and the Slane Theocracy.

Second, the chance meeting between a simple farm girl and a legendary being from another world. The encounter between two creatures and the unthinkable gap between them, the events that would bridge their fates, and...

Last, but certainly not least, the most unlikely event of them all. A true freak occurrence, that could only be called an act of the Gods themselves. Even if one were to load all their dice, their chance meeting would have still been one in a million. However, the hand of fate had played its card, and the reunion between these two beings would kickstart the events that played out in Carne Village-

-The rise of a legend, greater than all those that came before it. A legend that had many versions and various interpretations, with countless different stories that could not even be compared with the stars. However, at the center of this legend, one name would shine brighter than any. That name was...

...The mysterious and fearsome organization, Ainz Ooal Gown.

* * *

"Herohero-san!?" Momonga felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders when he saw his guildmate's ring. He could barely even believe it- In his heart, he'd already dreaded the possibility that his friends might have abandoned him in this world, and the thought that he would have to shoulder all of Nazarick's responsibilities had settled heavily inside his heart.

The truth was that even with the emotional suppression he was blessed with thanks to his undead form, Momonga had been truly intimidated by the Guardians. No amount of flattery could change the fact if they so wished, just two of the Floor Guardians alone could kill Momonga with no chance of his survival. It had only been a day at most since the shift, and Momonga had yet to accept the NPCs of Nazarick as real people inside his heart. He couldn't be sure if the person they were loyal to was the game character Momonga, or the real Momonga that Satoru Suzuki had become.

However, all of his worries flew outside the window when he saw his friend standing before him. He would certainly not stop being nervous over a sudden windfall in what had happened to him, but at least in that moment Momonga felt that things might wound up alright after all. Had he been alone, Momonga might have retreated into the hollow shell of his undead form due to his overly cautious nature.

It was funny, how a difference of one number could alter someone's outlook on life so heavily.

" _Momonga-san!_ " Herohero's black eyes at first widened in shock, but then narrowed happily. " _You're here as well!"_ The slime moved as if by impulse, perhaps a little too eager to greet his friend. Momonga noticed that the slime's movements looked as if it would tackle him, so he awkwardly stepped back.

That seemed to shake off his friend's sudden rush of emotion, for he wobbled as if embarrassed. " _Uh, I mean, it's good to see you, Momonga-san...!"_ His next gesture was likely as odd as the first would have been to an outside observer. The shapeless slime which normally should not act like flesh and blood straightened completely and gave a formal bow, the likes of which had been introduced in ancient times within the Slane Theocracy.

"Y-yeah, I'm relieved you're here as well, Herohero-san." Momonga mumbled awkwardly as he returned the greeting, still overwhelmed by the situation. The ominous atmosphere from before seemed to vanish completely as the two player characters exchanged greetings like the boring japanese businessmen they actually were.

" _Yeah! It really is a relief, isn't it?"_ Herohero laughed heartily, but as it dragged on he steadily grew quiet. Momonga, who had just finished doing a little tap dance inside his head, calmed down and looked at his then somber friend.

"Herohero-san… Were you suddenly transported as well?" The Overlord asked. He already knew the answer, but what he wanted then was to fish for his friend's thoughts, in order to better assess the situation. Even in this joyful reunion, the cautious Momonga was trying to analyze his friend's actions.

" _Yeah. I was trying to log out, and suddenly I was a slime! It really surprised me..."_ Herohero's answer confirmed Momonga's suspicions- His friend was truly as clueless as he was as to why they had been transported from their real bodies. He hadn't expected anything else, but it was at least good to know that it wasn't Momonga who was being kept in the dark.

However, when the slime's words finally sank in, Momonga froze.

"Did it really just happen as you logged out!?" The undead player exclaimed in confusion. What Herohero had just said wasn't possible. His friend had logged out of the game hours before the servers had shut down, it didn't make sense for him to have been transported hours before he did.

...Did it?

Herohero was about to answer with an affirmative, but a sudden noise caused both of them to turn their heads from another and look back towards the village.

"W-What the hell…" The source of the noise was one of the knights, who had just been coming out of a nearby house. His horror-stained glare had quickly shifted from the gruesome smear on the forest and the half-burnt right arm on the ground, to the pair of terrifying monsters standing not two paces away.

Herohero tensed. " _Momonga-san, these guys are-"_

"There is no need to explain, Herohero-san." The Overlord of Death strode confidently past the slime, burning red orbs meeting those of the knight who quaked in his boots. "If these people are your opponents, then I shall confidently answer with the full force of Ainz Ooal Gown!" As he said that, Momonga lifted a single bony arm, holding it out towards the target he had singled out.

The knight looked on in terror at the hand that stretched out towards him. He should have no reason to feel fear- There were over six meters between himself and the towering lich, but some part of his mind seemed to shout at him that the creature's hand held nothing but his own death. It was an alien feeling that chilled him to the core, and had he not been trained as a soldier he would have most likely soiled himself already.

"Hieeeeeee-!" The soldier realized his own folly and stumbled back, flailing around for a second as he tried to flee from the terrifying monster that had appeared from out of nowhere. The sight of his comrade's corpse combined with the creature's fearful presence was enough to distill all the fighting spirit within him. However, the moment he turned his back on Momonga…

"Hmph. [ **Grasp Heart** ]!"

...The hand that had been stretched out towards the knight closed like the embrace of an iron maiden. Blood and viscera sprouted from the hand which should've been empty, falling out in chunks the moment the Lich loosened his fingers' grip on what it had been holding.

The knight which had been starting to run fell as if tripped, hitting the ground with a fleshy thud. His vacant eyes stared at nothing from the ground, as blood started to freely flow from his mouth. The cause- was death. A human being could not function without a heart…

...And nobody could mistake the shape of the piece of meat that Momonga had dropped on the floor like it was a piece of garbage.

Making his best impression of a grimace, Momonga proceeded to take out his [Unlimited Kettle], doing his best to flush the blood off his hands with the water's constant flow.

 _So the knights are vulnerable to 9th tier magic, then. Considering how utterly Herohero-san trashed them, it would've been kind of embarrassing for my spells to just up and fail on them!_ Momonga thought, wryly laughing within his head. He felt no remorse for the dead knight on the ground- What he had been doing had been deplorable anyways, and furthermore Momonga would never hold sympathy for those who attacked Ainz Ooal Gown.

Herohero merely watched blankly as the knight died. Looking at the scene, he couldn't help but feel worried. The way Momonga had killed the knight had been so easy- Casual, even. Even though he had to admit he didn't feel the least faint at the scene, it was weird that Momonga hadn't made a single remark towards it.

" _It's funny…_ " Herohero muttered, sounding like he found it anything but. When Momonga turned his gaze towards him inquisitively, Herohero shook his head. " _Something like this isn't normal back in our world, right Momonga-san?"_ At his guildmaster's hesitant, uncertain nod, he continued. " _Then why don't I feel anything at all about it?"_

"Ah… I'm the same." Momonga admitted easily. _Aaaah! So he's the same as well!_ Unlike Herohero, who found the news unsettling, Momonga thought that it was a relief. That was because Momonga was worried that his strange reactions towards death meant he was transitioning into something… Darker, than who he really was. Knowing that his friend was going under similar circumstances, however, was a small boost to his courage.

It was still a somber thought however, and the silence between them prolonged to a moment that Momonga felt that perhaps he'd made a mistake.

" _...But man, I'm really relieved!"_ His guildmate's words took him by surprise, and Momonga turned to look at Herohero who was smiling as if he was going to cry. " _When I thought I wouldn't find anything from the real world here, I feared I'd have to talk to that hamster thing for the rest of my life! Knowing that Momonga-san is here too, I'm really grateful!"_ He halted at that however, and slumped over towards Momonga with apologetic eyes. " _Th-Though I don't mean anything bad by that Momonga-san. If I could send you to the real world, I-"_

"-No, no, it's fine!" Momonga waved his arms back and forth in a way completely unlike his magnanimous attitude from before. Herohero thought he could see the shadow of Suzuki standing behind the Lich, as Momonga did that. "Y-You don't really have to explain yourself like that. I'm grateful as well, so…"

There was another moment of silence.

However…

" _Ku. kukuku… Hahahahaha!"_ The one who chortled first was the slime, having been tickled by his friend's casual rebound after everything that happened. Soon Momonga joined in, and the two were laughing out loud. The cheerful jeers were twisted by their monstrous voices and sounded more like an infernal cackle, but their amusement was unmistakeable.

Though they had met under less than stellar circumstances, their reactions were completely those of two close friends meeting after a long time.

" _Man, just what are we doing? It's good to see you, Momonga-san."_ At his friend's warm agreement, Herohero switched his gaze to the staff in Momonga's hands. " _But… What are you doing with the guild item, Momonga-san…!? Don't tell me…"_

Momonga lowered his head. "I mean, it was the last day right? Having such a cool item lying around, it would have been a waste... " He mumbled, torn between being apologetic or vainly trying to make excuses. Under Herohero's surprised stare, he thought that he would fold and start twiddling his thumbs in embarrassment. After all, if something to the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, their guild would…

 _Ah!_ Momonga's skeletal head clicked back as his eyes filled with realization. _That's right, Herohero-san doesn't know what happened to Nazarick!_ "Actually, Herohero-san there's another thing you should know-"

"-My apologies for making you wait, Momonga-sama." A warm, soft voice announced the entrance of a third interloper.

Momonga started sweating mental bullets. _Shit! If Herohero-san finds out about what I did to Albedo…! Well, I'm pretty much screwed anyways, but for her to appear right now… Does she have no sense of timing at all!?_

Herohero turned towards the figure, finding it strangely familiar even though he knew it didn't belong to any of Ainz Ooal Gown's members. He almost stumbled when he saw the fully-armoured black figure that stepped from the portal. He had only seen that gear a few times, when one of their fellow guildmates started to brag to others about the performance of his NPCs.

The problem was… The person that armor belonged to, who was moving as if under their own will…

...It shouldn't have been possible for her to be alive.

" _A-Albedo!? Momonga-san, that's Albedo isn't she?"_ Herohero seemed torn about who to glare at in disbelief, either his friend or the NPC that had stopped at having her name called and had turned to stare at him. He finally settled on the latter when he saw her fall into a curt bow, in a huge contrast to her fully armed gear.

"It warms my heart to see you well, Herohero-sama. The other guardians will be surely overjoyed to see you once again." There were so many questions he wanted to raise in response to that, but as quickly as she had greeted him Albedo turned towards Momonga. When she addressed him she was equally reverent, but Herohero thought there was underlying warmth beneath her voice that set him slightly on edge.

"Momonga-sama, may I ask what you wished for me to do?" Her helmet tilted towards the still-unconscious girls that looked as if they would stir awake any second, and from the depths of her helmet shone a gleam of recognition. "Ah, perhaps you wish to dispose of these lower life forms? If you are tired of it, then I…"

"That's enough Albedo!" Momonga snapped, causing the iron-clad woman to halt in her tracks. "I came here to welcome my friend, and nothing more. If he wishes to dispose of these villagers then we shall do so, but otherwise it is not our business. You are here in case I need of your aid to fulfill his objectives."

Herohero's eyes shot up as if he had eyebrows. What he had just heard coming from Momonga was the kind of cheesy line Ulbert would have given during a hard role-playing session. It wasn't at all like his friend… Well, they had tried to RP a few times before, but to Herohero it really had been too embarrassing.

Albedo remained silent, but after a brief pause tilted her head in submission and turned towards him. "Very well, then. What do you wish for me to do, Herohero-sama? You have but to ask, and I will reduce this village to cinders and crush these lower lifeforms like the insects they are."

" _Ah… Uhm... "_ Herohero looked desperately at Momonga, who rolled his hand desperately as if to say 'play along'. _Hard RP. Got it._ " _That won't be necessary, Albedo. I have incurred a debt towards these villagers, and as payment I have decided to spare their lives from the scum that have been set upon them."_

Albedo started, as if surprised. "A 'debt'? Forgive me for being presumptuous, Herohero-sama… But what could these lower lifeforms, who are lower than the insects that eat at the moss of Nazarick's surface, possibly have done to incur a debt from You?"

Herohero looked as if he was going to start sweating at her question, but Momonga's face kept nodding as if saying 'Yeah! You've got her!' Mentally bracing himself, Herohero promised in his heart he'd kill anyone who mentioned this incident again.

" _I seized their God and made him my slave!"_ Herohero's ominous claim made Albedo utter a brief 'My!' of surprise, and Momonga's jaw briefly unhinged from its right place. " _They worshipped a powerful beast that protected them from other creatures, but it swore to serve me and thus I have left them unprotected. For doing so, I must take responsibility."_

 _Wait, a beast… IS HE TALKING ABOUT THE HAMSTER!?_ Momonga's world crumbled as he heard Herohero's boast. The thought of that hamster being worshipped as a divinity was truly too sad. _That's so fucking lame!_ _Herohero-san, that really is a huge asspull!_

"To enslave a God… Ah, as expected of one of the Supreme Beings!" Her awe-inspired, delighted tone made both Herohero and Momonga want to sweat, as the only two aware of the truth of the matter. "Very well, this lowly Guardian will do everything in her power to aid you, Herohero-sama."

"So will I." Momonga said, but flinched at Herohero's glare that practically shouted ' _you're going to explain this_ '. "We cannot allow a debt made in the name of Ainz Ooal Gown to remain unanswered." After a brief second where Momonga and Herohero composed themselves, he continued. "-Then, Herohero-san. What do you propose we do about the soldiers pestering this village?"

" _Hmm…"_ Herohero thought back to the idea he'd had before, when he had decided to summon a monster to aid him using one of his dailies. " _How about summoning spells, Momonga-san? These guys really aren't much. Even if it's around Level 30 or so, it should be more than enough."_

Momonga nodded. _It's a surprise just how weak these guys are. Well, if they're just normal humans it's actually not that weird. Rather, it'd be weird for normal humans to take on a Level 30._ Those were the thoughts that crossed his head as he extended his hand, raised towards the village.

"[ **Create Mid-Ranked Undead: Death Knight** ]!"

-One of the special abilities of the Necromancer class was the summoning of specific undead monsters to act as allies for their summoner. Undead creatures, able to hail from all races included creatures with a diverse variety of special abilities, all of them quite devastating and deadly for their levels.

They ranged from lowly Skeleton Soldiers and Skeleton Mages, to mid-ranked undead such as an Elder Lich or a Death Knight, to truly terrifying opponents such as the Elite Monsters Overlord Wiseman and Grim Reaper Thanatos, each capable of handling an average level 100 Player by themselves.

In comparison to these, the Death Knight wasn't a very powerful monster. However, by Herohero's estimations, the lack of any special abilities from the knights as well as how utterly slow they seemed, he couldn't even place them at level 20. That was just how weak they were. Against opponents of this caliber, it could have even been called overkill.

-However, Herohero was surprised by something else.

The moment Momonga announced his spell, the knight that had fallen like a puppet with its strings cut rose upwards like a puppet that had its strings _un_ cut. Black sludge, several shades darker than even Herohero's own body oozed from the corpse's mouth. The dark, viscous liquid wrapped around the dead body until it formed a cocoon of negative energy, that pulsed like an unholy egg.

 _...Alright, that definitely wasn't in the game._ To say that Herohero was spooked would be an understatement. Just watching Momonga's spell play out sowed the seeds of doubt in his heart, as to just what kind of situation they had gotten themselves stuck into. So far, everything he had used from YGGDRASIL seemed more lifelike, more 'real' than it had been in the game.

If Necromancy was more 'real' as well, then… The implications were disturbing.

In a few moments, the Death Knight's transformation was complete. The monster that emerged from the no-life cradle was an undead warrior escaping ordinary human perception. Standing at 230 centimeters, it was taller than any man Herohero had seen, and because of his own low stature it was if he was looking up at a building or vehicle rather than a person. Its skeletal body was armoured in pitch-black plate, and it brandished a twisted greatsword with one hand and a tower shield on the other.

If Momonga was intimidated, he didn't show it. "Death Knight, wipe out the knights attacking this village. Don't attack those already immobilized, they will be of use. If you see a slime creature or a ham-...A magical beast, treat them as your allies." The Death Knight answered the Overlord's commands with a roar, and promptly ran off towards the village with a cry that seemed almost joyful.

Herohero and Momonga stared wearily at the scene. "Herohero-san, did you know something like this would happen?" Momonga's voice cut through the air, weighing heavily on Herohero's mind.

" _Ah, yeah… Mine kinda did something like this too."_ Herohero felt like kicking himself for not realizing it earlier, that perhaps summoning creatures into this world they really held no understanding of might have been a bad idea.

As Momonga was about to make another comment…

"A-ah…!" A quiet yet scared chorus of voices had both of them turn around, to stare at the panicked young eyes of the two girls who had returned from their slumber. Despite the knights having been taken care of, both of them were locked in place as their shivering eyes remained transfixed on…

 _Oh._ " _Momonga-san, the staff…"_ Hearing his friend's words, Momonga turned towards the staff, where he noticed the special effect of the agonizing souls that poured from the item had carried over through the transportation. After a mental 'oops', Momonga brushed the effect away and almost immediately the two girls seemed to relax.

"Th-Thank you for saving us!" Uttered the older girl, the shadow of tears still lingering in her eyes. Squirming from under her lap, the younger girl also beamed up at then, with a frightened yet strangely determined expression.

"Thank you!" She echoed her sister's words.

Momonga and Herohero looked at each other, before they answered together-

" _Ah, you're welcome."_ "-Don't worry about it."

" _By the way, Momonga-san, are we just going to leave them alone like this?"_ Herohero muttered at a sound that was inaudible to the girls, gesturing at them subtly.

Momonga was about to answer that he did not see a problem, but the worried gaze of his friend made him reconsider. "They will be alright. But if you really want to be sure…"

He turned towards the two girls, and reached out with his bony hand towards them. The two girls flinched immediately, but unlike the knight from before, they had nothing to fear from Momonga.

"[ **Anti-Life Cocoon** ]. [ **Wall of Protection from Arrows** ]." The two mid-ranked defensive magic barriers manifested around the girls, the former preventing the entry of living creatures and the latter guarding against ranged attacks.

"Wait inside there until it's safe to come out," Momonga commanded, then took out two similarly-shaped objects and hurled them inside the barrier. "Use this in case of an emergency. It'll summon some reinforcements to help you."

" _Momonga-san, isn't that just…?"_ Upon seeing his friend make a 'hush' motion, Herohero just shook his head and sighed. _To think that he would give them a trash drop from a gacha crate…_ _That's stingy, Momonga-san_.

Feeling a little left out, Herohero decided he might as well cash in as well. " _If that's not enough, then use this!"_ Going through his item box, Herohero took out one of the items he'd found but never really used and threw it at the two girls. Unlike the two simple horns that Momonga gave them his looked more ornate, although it was larger and shaped more like an actual warhorn.

Momonga blinked. _Isn't that a mount item!? Eeeh, that's so overkill for a level 1! Herohero-san, that's not even generous! It's just careless!_ He wanted to appraise the item immediately, but he decided he could ask his friend about it later. To a stingy person like Momonga, however, it seemed like such a loss.

"Well then," Momonga coughed. "Shall we go? Come, Albedo." He gestured to the figure which had been silent thus far yet had remained standing at attention all this time.

"Yes, Momonga-sama!" As Albedo moved towards them, Momonga turned towards the village. He looked at Herohero, who nodded back at him with a determined stare. As he did, Momonga once again felt a strange feeling course through him. He couldn't quite place it, but it felt good.

"P-please wait!" The two turned to look back at the girls, who had recovered from their shock and were now shouting. "If it's possible, please save our parents! Please!"

Seeing that Herohero was about to reply, Momonga decided to answer first. "If we find them alive, we'll save them."

"Thank you!" The older girl exclaimed, relief shining on her eyes. "Also, if I may ask… Who are you?"

The three of them paused. When Herohero and Momonga exchanged glances, a strange synergy seemed to form between them, as if struck by inspiration.

" _Pleased to meet you. I am Herohero."_

"-And I am Momonga." With an elaborate gesture, Momonga's cape fluttered as he gestured at the two people at his side. "Together, we are…"

"- _ **Ainz Ooal Gown!**_ "

* * *

-Meanwhile, at the village center.

The knights that had attacked the village had used a basic encirclement tactic to take all the villagers to one spot, much like one would lead cows to the slaughter. By placing mounted knights at the outskirts of the village to shoot any villager that tried to escape that way and chasing the rest of the villagers to the central square while setting houses aflame, they had been able to accomplish their objective without a hitch.

Having done this job countless times, they had created the perfect cage for the villagers' demise, a death trap they could not possibly have escaped. However, none of them could have foreseen…

...That this cage of their own making, would become their prison as well.

" _Hahahahahaha! Is this all the strength you miserable wretches possess!?"_

Blood splashed across the air as another of the knights went down to the figure of madness that was opposing them. It had the form of an ooze, but it acted like anything but. Its well-defined armor and blade-like arms were too sleek and refined to be made of slime, yet they were nonetheless.

At the moment, six different knights were trying to fend off the monster. They constantly tried to get around its guard, desperately trying to encircle it or trap it in some form so they wouldn't be instantly devastated by its attacks. The six knights were one of the finest their team had to offer- Ilian, Heiron, Katz, Straussman, Polo, and Miren. Besides these six, only the lieutenant Londes Di Gelapo and two others could compare in swordsmanship.

However, the result of their strategy was…

-Completely outmatched.

Power, Skill, Speed, Intellect. This monster surpassed them in each and every one of those aspects. Whenever one knight took a chance to slash the monster, it would sidestep or somehow evade the attack with a slippery movement like that of rushing water. Its counterattack was almost guaranteed to be a fatal blow if another knight did not interfere to push it away, but all that managed was to give it a new target.

The slime monster was completely untouchable, but it was also blindingly fast. It was impossible for the knights to maintain a solid formation when the thing slipped between their ranks like they were headless chickens, knocking someone down and forcing two others to jump to defend his life, only for it to suddenly double back and target the knights that were left vulnerable.

-Eventually, the knights realized the harsh reality. The monster was toying with them. The skills which had they spent years honing for the purpose of battle were being mocked so easily by a slime who even insulted them by taking the form of a human.

"Damn it!" Katz yelled, his voice full of ire. "Fight seriously, you shitty slime cunt!" He tried to tear its neck off, but to his shock the Ooze folded back a perfect 90 degrees and his shot missed white. "What the fu-"

He never noticed the leg that rose up until it was too late.

"KATZ!" Ilian roared in a painful wail, as he saw the vicious, lightning-fast kick land on his comrade's left temple. The knight stumbled back, as if dazed. When Ilian saw his head, his body shook with horror. "No… NO!"

"Wh… Whush is gohn… on…" Katz mumbled, his eyes looking to wildly different sides as his whole body seemed to twitch. His helmet was dyed red, the visible dent on his helmet pressing inwards to a painful degree, far more than what would have been humane. It was likely that Katz's mind died before his body, as not a moment later he was torn apart by the slime monster's deadly blades. Moving with surgical precision, they dismantled the helpless knight into the sum of its parts, splattering gore over the battlefield.

" _Heeheeheehee… Fight seriously, you asked? ...Very well, I'm fighting seriously now!"_ The slime stepped over the dead knight's remains, its acidic legs immediately starting to dissolve the organs and flesh below it. " _Come, you insects! Death awaits you!"_

From the distance the lieutenant Londes and his superior, Captain Belius looked on at the massacre.

"J-Just what is that thing…" Londes looked on with horror at how easily the Black Ooze Apostle dispatched his comrades, the men he had shared a drinking table with throughout several knights. Watching them die like flies to a cursed inhuman… It made his heart twist with agony and terror.

"W-we should retreat! There's no way we can handle something like this!" Belius shrieked, backing away from the slime creature that was assaulting the clean-up team.

"I'd like to do that too, but…" Londes looked the other way, opposite to the fight and towards the rear of the town square.

-At that place, another battle was being fought.

"FUUuuu…!" Exclaimed one of the knights as a tail with the girth of a human arm smacked him to the sky, sending him flying a dozen meters until he landed on the ground with a sickening crack.

"This King won't let you escape!" Hamsuke challenged with his deceptively adorable voice, clawed hands raised menacingly at the other team of knights that was trying to keep him off their backs.

"Sh-Shit! Who the hell is this guy!?" The five remaining knights backed away, death on their expressions.

"What a terrifying monster…" Another one of them voiced.

"Everyone, calm down!" The more charismatic-sounding of the five shouted, compelling their attention. "If we fight him as one, we stand a chance of overwhelming him! Follow me, men!"

"You seek to challenge this King as five!? Very well then, accept your death with dignity!" The hamster beast fell to all fours, calmly waiting for the knights to attack.

"With me, at the count of three! One… Two… CHARGE!" At his command, all five of the knights dived straight towards the monster with their swords raised, bellowing a war cry.

However-

"Then, I shall answer with my full power! [ **Haste** ]!" The magical beast's body, which had been standing still suddenly seemed as if it blurred.

The knight leader's eyes widened. "A magic caster!? STOP! Don't-"

-But it was too late. The leader could not even stop his own body, as their fur-clad death manifested itself before them. The last thing he saw in his short life was the flash of a scaled tail headed straight towards his head.

Londes' eyes widened as he watched the beast crush the five knights with a single swipe of its tail, with strength that caused the grass around its swing to be uprooted and the soil exposed. His teeth chattered, as he watched the ultimate fate of his companions.

"W-Wiped out… We're doomed." Without any hope left in his heart, Londes' words uttered that. The man who had once been so faithful in God, then desperately wished for anything to save them from this sad fate.

"Buhiiii! No, this cannot happen to me!" The Captain uttered with mad horror at the events playing out before him. "H-hey, Londes! Be my shield and help me escape!" The captain pointed at him, pupils dilated to the point he looked delusional.

 _Get a feel for the mood, you rotten idiot._ Instead of saying those words he desperately needed to get out, Londes merely shook his head. "That's impossible, _Captain_. Do you think you can escape just like that? It's over..." As he said that, Londes turned with resignation back towards the side with the slime monster, when-

"Watch out!"

He shouted to the knights, despair clouding his voice.

"YOU BASTARD!" Ilian shouted, running straight towards the Ooze Apostle with his sword held with both hands. The death of his best friend had awoken something in Ilian. The sheer hatred for the monster coursing through his veins seemed to fill him with strength, and the weight of his blows as he attacked the slime were unlike anything he'd done before.

-However, the slime continued to evade. Its movements definitely looked more furious, that much was evidence of Ilian's newfound strength. Even so, the difference between the two of them was still as wide as Heaven and Earth. There was no chance that Ilian's blade would ever reach the monster facing them.

...But, perhaps it was because of his rage. Maybe it was simply due to innate talent. Or it could have been just one last act of divine favor.

For at that moment, the impossible happened.

The exhausted Ilian, whose sweat was visible even through the thick armor he wielded, seemed to become twice as fast on the next second. Noticeable to all those who had been watching the attack, it was then that Ilian's sword started to shimmer with a faint white glow.

Putting every ounce of his anger, skill, and devotion to ending the life of his enemy, for one eternally short moment… Ilian managed to exceed his limits.

For the first time in the fight, a liquid that wasn't from the knights splashed across the air and fell in droplets to the earth.

The slime leapt away from the suddenly still knight, looking blankly at the gaping wound on its side. For a single moment, a deathly quiet seemed to spread before the village square. Until…

"Ilian… Did it…" Straussman uttered, looking at the scene with wide eyes.

"When did he learn them… It can't be… Just now?" Heiron uttered with awe.

"Yeah… Yeah! You did it, Ilian!" Miren laughed in exhaustion, staring at the other knight with admiration.

What Ilian had just used… Were [Martial Arts]. They were skills which only fighters that reached a certain level could use, and certainly not something that normal people could develop so easily. Through them, it was possible to surpass one's normal limits and realize movements that transcended simple physical power.

For a single moment, hope blossomed in the knights' hearts. Their enemy could be bled. It could be beaten. Even if the chance of their lives being saved was less than 10%, it was at least higher than zero. If they tried hard enough, if they also pushed their bodies to their limits, then they could also…

"...Win…! We can win…!" Exclaimed Polo, inspiring courage in the others.

But…

The next instant, they learned despair. For the slime's wound-

" _Was that it?"_

-Closed up as if it was never there.

" _Hahahahahaha! The look on your faces is priceless! Did you really think common physical attacks would be effective on an Apostle?"_ The slime's bubbly voice openly mocked them, making fun of their horrified faces that seemed as if they were going to cry. " _I have to admit, I was caught off guard by the insect's attack… But it was a distraction. No more than that."_

The dark slime's crimson eyes gleamed with sadistic delight. " _From the moment you opposed the Elder One, all of your fates were sealed."_

"...already…" Ilian, who had remained still until then, muttered silently.

" _Hm?"_

"I said… Just kill us off already!" Ilian shouted, his eyes sunken and his voice desperate. "You slime shit, what are you waiting for!? What else could you possibly do to us!? Just end it already!" He grit his teeth until they bled, as tears fell from his eyes. "I'm not going to be your toy anymore!"

All the knights looked at Ilian with horror. After that show of strength, the man had finally snapped. There was no other explanation. To have all of his efforts be thrown back to his face in such a way… What remained standing there was nothing more than a husk of a man.

" _Hahahahahaha! What an amusing insect! If that is your wish, human, then I'll be happy to grant it… -!?"_ The slime which had been about to pounce, froze on the spot. Then, completely unlike its former behavior, it stepped back.

"What's the matter!?" Ilian yelled, trying his best to provoke the monster. "Did you get scared now!?"

" _Nope… I just wanted to leave some toys for my friend to play with."_ The slime stated, its eyes glinting darkly.

"What-"

"Watch out!" Londes' warning came too late.

When Ilian saw the dark shadow being cast over him, he looked up with wide eyes- Just for his face to meet the entire length of the Death Knight's sword, as it cleaved through his brain matter, spine, and the rest of his body with such brutal strength he was split apart in two different halves.

" **OOOHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAHHHH!** " A screech like the sound of a dozen glass windows being scratched echoed through the village square. The monstrous undead that stood over the strongest knight's dead body gave out an ear-shattering roar that paralyzed all the knights in close range.

Everyone screamed at the sight of the Death Knight, the villagers included.

What followed was a massacre.

The fight that the knights put up could not even be called resistance. The Death Knight toyed with them, giving them half-assed blows and poking them with his shield until in their pain and utter despair, they started to desperately flee in any direction. At that point he finally became serious and killed them off, one by one.

He was a complete beast of destruction, that shifted left and right like a screaming shadow and annihilated everything in its path. The sword on its hand was too large for a man to wield- It was the kind of weapon that only a demon would have forged.

"Aaaaah…. Aaaaah…" Londes stared with vacant eyes at the monster that started lumbering towards them. His steps were measured, each paced slowly enough that he could taste the death coming for him. "Aaaaah…. Aaaaah…. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Completely losing control over his body, Londes charged straight towards the death knight with his sword held high.

Perhaps because he sought death or he had been braver than the others, the Death Knight was surprisingly swift. He crossed the distance in a single blink of an eye and severed the knight's head from his body, causing him a brief and instant death.

-In the end, only one remained.

"No… NO!" Captain Belius screamed, looking frantically around for any sign of his subordinates- But there were none. All that remained were the gazes of the monsters, and the unfeeling cold eyes of the villagers he had been busy slaughtering. "M-money! I'll give you money, fame, anything you ask for! Pl-Please, have mercy!"

The Death Knight _laughed._ It actually laughed.

" _Mercy, is it?"_ The Apostle Ooze nimbly stepped forwards from behind the Death Knight, who made no move to stop it. " _So basically, you don't want us to kill you?"_

"Y-YES! PLEASE!" The captain bowed as low as he could, prostrating himself before the monsters until his slimy face touched the ground. "I'LL DO ANYTHING, SO PLEASE…!"

" _Hmm, what should we do, I wonder…?"_ The slender slime poked its face with one its arms, staring up at the Death Knight whose body seemed to go slack. " _Hmm… Okay!"_

Belius' head shot up. "R-Really!? Thank you, thank you-"

" _We won't kill you."_ The slime pointed to a place to the side of Belius, where the knights had been fighting the Death Knight before. Its eyes suddenly gleamed with a glee greater than anything it had shown before. " _They will."_

The deathly sound of moans was the first thing Belius noticed. Twitching, his head slowly turned to the side to look at the direction of where the slime had pointed at.

What he saw made him soil himself.

" **Be…. liusssss….** " The raspy groans of one of the six zombies heading towards him made the captain screech like a pig. He stumbled to his feet in an attempt to flee, but suddenly he tripped as if his feet had been thrown under him. Overcome with terror, he looked down at what caused him to lose footing-

-Just to see a rotting human arm clinging to his ankle, with nothing else to see.

"No! Nononononononono….! PLEASE NOOOOOO…!" The knight captain died much as he lived, screeching and squealing like a pig as he was beset by the subordinates he had so often treated like expendable trash. When the Zombie Slaves spawned by the Death Knight were done with him, nothing remained- Not even his bones.

The villagers continued to remain at the center of the square, looking in horror at all the monsters surrounding them. The kids did not dare to leave the tower they had hidden in, thinking the building could somehow protect them.

-Fortunately for them, it was not for them that these monsters were here.

The Villagers turned as they heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming from one direction. The three towering monsters which had so easily killed the knights all turned as one towards that same direction… And all kneeled as one.

What the villagers saw were… Three different figures.

The first was the strangest of them all. Clad in an elaborate blue robe whose design was so sophisticated it could not have been anything but the highest of treasures, he wore a green and red mask that completely obscured his face, alongside two heavy-looking gauntlets that concealed his hands.

The second was a feminine figure clad in pitch-black plate armor. Despite her slender build, she was easily wielding an axe that was even higher than her. Two wicked-looking horns emerged from the crown of her helmet, looking surprisingly smooth for mere ornaments. She walked behind the first figure, and seemed only fixated on him.

The third… Surprised the villagers by looking the most ordinary of them. Over a slightly decorated blue tunic, he wore light armor which looked like leather yet had a slightly off in color and hue, as well as black leather-like pants and brown boots. His hair was an exotic shade of black, one that looked almost like a sickly purple. It also matched the strange color of his eyes, but those bore another issue. There was something about them that looked… Empty, as if they were not entirely there.

"Rejoice, villagers!" The first figure, standing at the center, opened his arms wide as if reaching out for a hug. "We are Ainz Ooal Gown, and we have saved you from the knights that so accosted you and attempted to seize your lives!"

Under that mask, the mysterious figure's eyes could almost be seemed gleaming. "Now then, let's talk about what you can do for us…"

* * *

 **1st Battle for Carne Village**

 **Attacking Forces** :

1 Knight Company

-52 Knights

 **Defending Forces** :

Carne Village

-108 Villagers

Ainz Ooal Gown

-Momonga

-Herohero

-Albedo

-1 Death Knight

-1 Apostle Black Ooze

-1… Hamsuke

 **Results**

-56 Villagers slain

-4 Knights Captured

-48 Knights slain

 **Conclusion**

Decisive Victory for Ainz Ooal Gown


	4. New World

**Author Notes:**

 **I made a mistake last chapter, where Momonga referred to Carne Village by name. I fixed it, so that nitpick is gone now. In addition, a surprising newsflash for me: Hamsuke is, in fact, a female. I did not expect that.**

 **I'll chalk it up to misunderstandings as its gender is largely irrelevant, but expect that issue to fly up at some point or another.**

 **Chapter 5** : A New World

"Please come in, everyone." The village chief gently pried open the primitive door that barred the way to his house. The old yet sturdy wood creaked under the strain, revealing a dusky home with numerous old-fashioned tools, much like a distant rural area from the modern world.

"Ah, excuse me." The human-shaped Herohero mumbled humbly as he stepped past the threshold. Momonga stepped in behind him, and they both followed the village chief as he led them to sit at a shoddy-looking table on what they assumed to be the lounge.

The reason Herohero and Momonga had decided to disguise themselves as human beings was twofold- First, they wanted to approach the villagers with forms that they could accept more easily so as to not unsettle them any further than their actions already had. Second, they weren't sure just how distrusted heteromorphic races were around these lands. Judging by how the girls had reacted to them, there was at the very least some discomfort.

While Momonga had decided to waive illusions in place of wearing simple gear that concealed his monstrous parts, regardless of how silly the gear itself looked on him. Something like that, of course, had not been an option for Herohero.

In the first place, there was no way a creature with the form of Herohero would have been able to properly wear gear mostly shaped for human beings. However, to make up for that slimes had shapeshifting capabilities that allowed them to take a more humanoid shape to equip actual gear. Even so, this did not allow them to take on a human guise. But-

-It was a generally accepted rule in YGGDRASIL that to perform well as a heteromorph, it was necessary to play to one's strengths rather than falling back to cover your weaknesses. Having chosen to raise some crafting-type levels as an alchemist, Herohero's build wouldn't have been viable if he had not stuck to that rule. Because of this, he was one of the few in the guild who had the Shapeshifter job. Taking on the guise of a human to avoid being targeted by PKs was only one of the many skills that this job granted.

Herohero's disguise was no illusion. For all intents and purposes, he felt human… Until someone slashed him up to see what was inside. This was something that had been reflected in the game, as regardless of how good a disguise was, the system would give away his true form when no PKing penalty presented itself to whatever human attacked him.

Under this situation, however, it was perfect.

The two players exchanged a look as the village chief left the lounge, likely to retrieve his wife who had went on ahead before them. Sitting on poorly-made chairs as the room bathed in the sunlight that shone in from the windows, the two of them reminisced on the events that had brought them to sit here.

-After saving the villagers and setting everyone free, Momonga's words had unsettled the population as they thought he had been about to demand something heinous from them. However, when he had only announced his intention to receive ordinary payment for his services, they seemed to relax and did not look as distrustful or scared as before.

After having discussed his ideas with Herohero, Momonga had decided on how to best handle the situation that had developed before them. Having intervened to save a human village had not been in Momonga's plans, but he had never expected to run into his friend under such circumstances in the first place.

Regardless, after a brief discussion where Momonga explained just what exactly had happened to him, Herohero had agreed that it was necessary for them to acquire information on the world. The purpose of requesting a meeting with the village chief thus had not only been to accept their gratitude, but also to obtain information as payment.

"Forgive us for making you wait." The two of them raised their heads as the kindly voice of the village elder's wife reached their senses. The old woman may have once been a beauty to behold, but time had taken its toll on her body and at the time she resembled a skinny older aunt with disheveled, dull hair. Nonetheless, her eyes sparkled with a kindness that was rarely found in younger people.

"Please, help yourselves." The two said nothing as the woman set two steaming cups of hot water on their side of the table. While Momonga simply looked at the cup, unsure of what to do, Herohero swiftly picked up his own and took a short sip.

"...It's hot, but it's good. Thank you very much." The slime-man praised the woman's efforts, but then turned a wry gaze towards Momonga. "Unfortunately, Momonga-san doesn't drink, uh, at least in public." His eyes looked downcast for a moment. "You see, his mask…"

"N-no! It's quite alright, I understand completely…!" She took back the cup and left to deposit it back, just as the chief returned to their table and looked at them curiously.

 _Herohero-san, what kind of edgy backstory are you making up for me? ...Well, if it means I don't have to take the mask off it's alright, but was that tragic look really necessary?_ Momonga leered wearily at his friend. Perhaps their conversation with Albedo back then had awoken a sleeping talent in his friend.

"Is everything alright? If there's anything you dislike about the place, we could go-" The village chief's worried utterings were halted by Herohero, who held out his palm in a gesture of peace.

"Ah. If it's alright, we just want to discuss the reward. You have been very welcoming, but unfortunately we're a little pressed for time…" Herohero spoke up, trying to advance the conversation while doing his best to stay as polite as possible.

"Very well!" The chief nodded hurriedly, and sat himself down at the other side of the table. The wife soon joined him, after having taken the boiling water out of the fire in the stove. "Is something the matter?" He asked quietly when he saw the way the two players were staring strangely at the smoldering.

"Ah, everything's fine." They were just surprised by the lack of any appliances used for cooking. Far from not having electricity, they were not even using gas. Momonga, who had answered the chief, continued by looking at the man with his leering mask. "We were just thinking about something. For the reward…"

The couple stiffened, bracing for what was coming.

"...As for money, we don't need anything." Momonga's statement caused both villagers to start in shock, as if they couldn't believe the words they heard.

"R-really?" The chief asked, looking at the two monsters in disguise with eyes clouded by confusion, relief and hope. His wife seemed equally relieved, but supported him in his doubt.

"Indeed. Actually, there's something far more important that we need. That is..." The Overlord made a dramatic pause, so as to increase the weight hanging in the air between the two parties. For added purpose, both he and Herohero placed their hands on the table with a loud 'thud' that echoed through the room, just as they announced their request to the village chief.

"...Information!" They voiced together, making the chief almost fall over in shock when the answer was anything but what he'd expected.

"I-Information!? I don't understand, Momonga-sama… What could we possibly give you, a Magic Caster of such high caliber, that you couldn't possibly know…!?" The two humans looked at each other, nervousness clear on their faces.

Momonga shook almost imperceptibly as if he had thought this was a bad idea, but Herohero pressed onwards in his stead. "Please, relax. Me and my friend are part of a secluded cabal of practitioners. We have lived all our lives in a remote place within the mountains, and because of this our knowledge of the outside world is murky to say the least…"

"Aaah, I see! I guess that would explain the, ahem, exotic nature of your mask…" The villager's words caused Momonga to awkwardly scratch at his nonexistent face in embarrassment. He really shouldn't have gone with this mask. If every magic caster dressed this way in YGGDRASIL, nobody would play them after all…

"...Then, we'd be grateful if you could patiently answer all of our questions. The extent of your knowledge doesn't matter. If you accomplish this task, we will consider our debt with you settled. Also, please keep everything in this discussion a secret. Is that fine?" Momonga laid out the reasonable terms on the table, much like he would when pitching an idea to his superiors.

The coupled at each other, smiles blooming on their faces, and then announced their agreement to the Guildmaster's offering. The deal was settled, and both parties shook hands as a gesture of good faith.

"Now then... " Momonga intoned, folding his hands over the table and raising them up to eye-level in a pose that proved just who was the person who held control over the conversation. "Let us begin."

* * *

Albedo sighed, staring longingly at the shed where Momonga and Herohero had entered to speak with the village chief. She had wanted to accompany her beloved as well but Momonga's words, though he did his best to excuse himself, were unwavering in their meaning.

' _I do not want to intimidate them too much, Albedo. Fully armed as you are, bringing you into the negotiations might have a negative effect on Nazarick from now on. Instead, there's another favor I would ask of you…'_ Those had been her master's words at the time. Though she was all too happy to carry out his wishes and would never argue against his wisdom, she had to admit that she felt irked that she had been of no use to him under those circumstances.

 _Meanwhile, that Herohero is sitting at his side… Even if it's a Supreme Being... How infuriating!_ Albedo grit her teeth, thinking of how blessed she would be if she could hold such closeness with Momonga under such a close space. Though her heart burned with jealousy, her anger was far more muted than it should have been.

Albedo respected the Supreme Beings, they were her creators and she knew they were beings of such power that they escaped her reasoning. However, even though she had only spoken with Momonga for such a short time- No, perhaps because she had already spoken with him just once, she could perfectly understand that the way he acted when close to other Supreme Beings was completely different to how he had ruled over the Guardians.

His nostalgic laughter, his awkward yet good-natured attempts at inspiring his comrades, even just the way he looked at them… That was everything Albedo wanted. To be looked at with such warm and caring eyes by Momonga… Just the thought of it brought shivers to her body.

But, those eyes did not belong to her, but to the other Supreme Beings. Even before most of them had abandoned them, the distance between those that remained and the Guardians always remained the same. They were the ones at the top of the world, who ruled over the worlds with unmatched power and grace. The gap between her own existence and the God-kings of Nazarick was too large to close, even if one tried to do so for a thousand years.

-However, she still wanted to be at that top. To be at Momonga's side, to be looked at with those selfish eyes… That was everything that her blackened heart desired. Let her rotten sisters in heaven practice their self-destructive measures, if that selfish wish of hers could be granted then she would not care even if everything else was destroyed.

"Albedo-sama." The muffled voice of another creature interrupted the Overseer's thoughts, and she turned an irritated stare towards the being who had interrupted her. It was one of the Eight-legged Spiderblade Assassins, part of Nazarick's detachment meant to hunt down whatever knights managed to escape the village.

The magical creature stared at the Overseer with unblinking black eyes, his pale body humanoid in nature were it not for the eight blade-shaped legs that spread out from his back. He was wearing the clothes of a typical ninja, with spider motifs drawn into the armor.

"What is it?" She asked in a bored, yet polite tone. This was the task that Momonga had assigned her in his absence- To assess the movements of Nazarick's forces at the moment and make sure no actions were taken against the villagers. She couldn't understand his insistence towards protecting these lower life forms, but she would never dare question Momonga's authority either.

"All four hundred of the troops Momonga-sama ordered are ready to attack the village any second now," Said the assassin, humbly lowering his head towards the superior Guardian. Albedo looked at him coldly, and sighed.

"Belay that order. Momonga-sama has already disposed of this village's attackers, but remain on standby in case he changes his mind about the other insects that remain." Venom dripped from her words as she spoke of the filthy villagers that even now were getting chummy with her almighty lord. She scoffed at the foolishness of the lower lifeforms, that acted as if their lives were worth anything compared to His.

"-Yes! ...By the way, Albedo-sama…" The kneeling assassin raised his head to look up at her with a hopeful gaze. "There is a rumor that another of the Supreme Beings has returned, is such a thing…?"

The fallen angel's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, before she gave the lesser Guardian a pleasant smile. "That is indeed the truth. The glorious Herohero-sama has returned to our ranks after seizing a God as his own retainer and helping Momonga-sama clean up the trash in the village."

"Ahh! Those are wonderful news, Albedo-sama! I am sure that his creations will be overjoyed…!" The assassin blushed, thinking of the attractive homunculus maids that regularly cleaned up the rooms of the Supreme Beings. "...Then, do you think that the others might-"

"-I do not know." Albedo snapped, something akin to irritation building up inside her. "Shouldn't you be attending to your duties, guardian?" She started slowly, but with a growing sense of annoyance that caused to dread to rise from the far inferior monster before her.

"Y-Yes, Albedo-sama! Then, excuse me!" The invisible assassin retreated into the shadows, heading back to make his rounds patrolling the outskirts as he had been commanded to.

Albedo sighed as she watched the guardian retreat, nursing her brow with her fingers as she inwardly cursed herself for reacting in such a way towards the Supreme Beings. She was perfectly aware of how selfish she could be at times, but as those whom she respected the most Albedo normally wouldn't forget to address them reverently whenever she was prodded.

 _Ahhh, Momonga-sama!_ She squealed dreamily inside her head as she continued walking around the village, completely ignoring the villagers around her that might as well have been flies. One of them could have fallen into a ditch and she would have sooner noticed a change in the breeze. _I wonder if you are thinking of your Albedo right now? After all, you are everything I ever think about, my lord!_

Keeping such selfish desires to her heart Albedo sank into that dreamlike trance, the thought of keeping the villagers' safety long gone from her mind.

* * *

Momonga shivered, to the point that one could have thought he was shaking on his own seat. Were one to peer past his mask, they would see the light in his eyes gone from his astonishment and shock at what he had learned from the village chief. At his side, Herohero did not fare much better- His face looked sweaty and he was gritting his teeth, looking as if he would start biting his nails at any second.

" _Momonga-san… We're screwed, aren't we?"_ The slime thought to his friend privately, using the [ **Message** ] spell any YGGDRASIL player could use freely. " _This world just…"_

" _Y-yeah…"_ The Overlord replied with a disheartened tone. " _It absolutely doesn't make any sense."_ They sulked together, their emotions unnoticed by the village chief who was trying to get his wits back from the latest barrage of questions.

It had made sense, Herohero and Momonga had thought when they had built their first speculations about the New World. Having been transported in their YGGDRASIL bodies, with access to YGGDRASIL magic, items and skills, it would have only been logical to assume the world they had been transported to would have been the same.

However… None of the nations the Village Chief had known about were familiar to them in YGGDRASIL. The realm they currently found themselves on was called Re-Estize, and it was ruled by an old and wise king like those of a fantasy series, complete with a golden-haired princess famous for her flawless beauty.

As for the rest of the nations, the Village Chief had not known much. Since Carne was a frontier village he had at least known the names of the two closest ones, but the political climate of both escaped him.

To the south was the Slane Theocracy, the largest human nation and one that was built around the worship of the Six Gods, supposedly divine beings that saved the world a long time ago. The chief had not spoken too badly about it, but there was something about the name that had both players slightly on edge.

To the east was the Baharuth Empire, a large nation which was ruled by a young Emperor who was fearfully called the 'Blood Emperor', though the chief didn't know the exact circumstances other than it involved killing nobles. The Empire was Re-Estize's main rival, and the two nations regularly went to war and fought each other at the large plains south of Carne Village.

In other words, there were no signs of the nordic legends that had surrounded YGGDRASIL. The best the two could hope for was that they were in the human world of Midgard and time had passed from the original setting, but even then none of the names made sense.

These news had been the least unsettling subject, however.

The first shock had come when Momonga and Herohero had discovered on their own that the village chief and they had been speaking different languages since the start of the conversation. It was Herohero who had noticed it first, having been reading the lips of the villagers for a while and catching the dissonance between their languages.

Back when YGGDRASIL was a game, there had been an item with the name of [Translation Cognac] which was meant to allow other players to chat with each other despite in-game lore barriers in communication. However, in this world it was as if everyone had been forced to drink such an item since birth.

Whether that was evidence of heavy player interference or not, the two of them chose not to venture into that train of thought for they were distracted by further issues.

Namely- Their lack of funds. After having presented the villagers with one of the later gold coins used by the game, they had successfully weighed it as twice the weight of a normal gold coin. However, due to its foreign nature and the inability to check its legitimacy without damaging the coin, it looked as if using them would attract too much attention in the Kingdom.

The last issue was… The lack of "common sense". The village chief was very familiar with a few of YGGDRASIL's game terms- Magic Caster, Demi-human, Magic Item, Race, and Class- these were accepted as part of normal life. However, the more universal terms for games were completely unknown to them. There was no HP and MP in this world to speak of, not that the chiefs knew of at any rate, whereas Herohero and Momonga were capable of knowing where they stood at (it was more a mental reflex than an actual interface, however).

Many of the issues were capable of being addressed. -However, the lack of 'common sense' was unassailable through any means other than experience. If one lacked the understanding of the morals of this world as well as many other pieces of information others took for granted, then it was likely that they wouldn't be able to mingle well in the world.

" _In other words it's like we're like two hikikomoris, aren't we Momonga-san?"_ Herohero sent a message in bad taste, using a word that would have caused revulsion in the real world. Momonga would have laughed, were Herohero's joke not uncomfortably close to reality.

" _What should we do, Herohero-san? Maybe we should go to a city and live there?"_ He felt uncomfortable at the thought of leaving Nazarick alone, even if it was for the purpose of growing accustomed to the world. However, from the words of the village chief, the closest city was close enough that a simple teleportation spell would be more than enough to instantly close the distance between the two places.

" _That's not a bad idea...There's a lot we could do there to acquire information, after all."_ Herohero quickly agreed with his friend, having started to think more in tune to YGGDRASIL's themes. Information gathering had been an important business and while Herohero possessed a few utility items, he'd mostly relied on his own wits and money to get valuable game information.

YGGDRASIL was a truly massive game. While perhaps there existed some god-like players who possessed knowledge of everything the game, they almost assuredly either had connections with the developers themselves or were part of an information-based guild. This wasn't just related to player-based information, but knowledge of the game itself.

While many of the game's policies had been frowned upon as overused cliches of past MMO genres (material wealth making up a large part of the user's in-game strength and some rather unfair difficulty curves for those without said wealth, to name a few), YGGDRASIL had also been the target of high praise for its incredibly massive open world and the high level of customization and freedom it gave its players. There were no game manuals or tutorials, it threw you straight into the game and left you to explore the world by yourself.

Because of this, information used to sell like hotcakes during periods of high server activity. Things such as monthly events often had hidden easter eggs that unlocked rare items or otherwise interesting boons, and they were often hard to find to the point of being annoying. Uncharted jungle field maps would be suddenly overcome by a 'gold rush' as a dungeon was discovered within its depths, with guilds competing for who would conquer it as their own base.

Not just that, but since YGGDRASIL's magic system was inspired by an ancient series of role-playing games, it possessed an entire school of spells centered around Divination and scrying. Scrying and counter-scrying had developed within the game to an extent that would have made national intelligence agencies jealous- Things such as placing a tracer on a player and ambushing him in the depths of a maze-like dungeon, or waging a war in the shadows using divination and super-long range offensive magic were often accounts discussed by high-level players.

Simply using this magic to say, wire-tap a tavern to record all conversations between travellers would be a laughably easy way to obtain more information. For this purpose, the idea of going into a city was not bad at all. The sooner they learned more about the world, the safer they would be.

"Is everything okay?" The village chief had begun to grow suspicious at their prolonged silence, so he worrying inquired about their state. Startled, it was Momonga who composed himself first and nodded.

"Yes, we're fine. Then, other than what you've heard about the forest from Adventurers, this is all?" What Momonga was referring to was the information about the monsters who resided in the forest of Tob, which ranged from the human-hated goblins and ogres to the mysterious Fairies and Forest Sprites.

Apparently, monsters and other races in this world were not known by their mob names, but rather by their race at large. This was different from YGGDRASIL, where Goblins would normally have a suffix attached to their names related to their profession. Expecting something like that to carry over would have been absurd of course, but one could never know…

"Yes. Unfortunately, we rarely get visitors to this remote village. Were it not for Enri-chan's childhood friend, it's likely that we would have been forgotten already…"The village chief muttered that sadly, referring to the girl that Herohero had saved from the knights. "I'm sorry there's not much else I can tell you."

"That's quite alright," Herohero said with an easy smile on his face. "We learned quite a bit from this. I think we can take it from here on, can't we Momonga-san?"

"Y-yes, there is no need to feel anxious. Please be at ease, Chief." The lich in disguise said half-heartedly. Really, everything about this event was taking a heavy toll on his mind. The only saving grace of it all was that Nazarick and at least one other player was with him.

 _I wonder if everyone else is here as well. Peroroncino, Blue Planet, Luci Fer, Punitto Moe… They're probably going through an even bigger shock than us._ When he thought that all his friends might be in this world as well, Momonga had mixed feelings. He'd love to meet his friends again, but…

"Chief," Both monsters turned when a villager stepped through the threshold, looking at the chief with a somber face. "Sorry to intrude on you, but the funeral is ready…" The chief's face scrunched up in sadness, but he nonetheless looked at them with an apologetic stare.

"-I'll go." Momonga was suddenly surprised when Herohero said those words towards the Chief. The player had stood up from his seat, leaning over the table with a determined stare. "...Is that okay?" He finally asked, as if remembering himself.

The two villagers looked at each other for a second, as if surprised. Not soon after, however, they smiled. "Of course."

* * *

-No sooner had the funeral started, people had already approached them.

"Thank you for saving my daughters!" A woman thanked them profusely, tears of gratitude pouring from her eyes.

"Eh? What…?" Herohero stared at the woman in shock. It was true that the two of them had saved the village, but for her to be this desperate was almost confusing. Confused, the slime took a closer look towards the woman. As his memory started to jog, he slowly started to match the dots on her appearance and the 'daughters' she might have been talking about.

"No way, could you be… Enri-san's mother?" He couldn't believe it. This was the same woman he'd accidentally given the large potion to, of that there was no mistake. To think that she would have been the mother of those girls… It was an almost unthinkable coincidence. The woman he'd saved out of mere accident had turned out to be a mother…

-But she hadn't been alone.

Herohero looked ahead of the crying woman, and was faced with a sight that brought an unsettling feeling to his heart. Two familiar girls, crying over the body of another familiar corpse. His eyes widened.

"Please forgive me!" To the woman's utter disbelief, it was Herohero who bowed back in apology at her words. "Even though had I been faster, your husband might have…"

"..." The housewife looked at Herohero with a mixture of surprise and slight wonder, blinking back her tears as his words sunk in. "There's nothing for you to apologize for. We're just grateful you were there at all." She spoke softly, dismissing the slime's regret as needless worries.

Momonga stared at the scene impassively. He wondered why he didn't feel the same as Herohero regarding the villagers. Why wasn't he bowing with sympathy as well, when faced with such a tragic number of bodies? Shouldn't he have been agonizing over the loss of innocent human lives? If so, why was it that his heart felt as still as the calm sea?

He idly twitched at the [ **Wand of Resurrection** ] within his robes. Before heading into the funeral, both he and Herohero had agreed not to use revival items just yet. When it came to Life and Death, tampering in such matters could have terribly far-reaching issues, especially when to the villager's extent of knowledge there was no magic that could revive the dead.

It wasn't just that it might not be proper- It could prove to be a fatal blunder given their poor understanding of the world. Momonga thought that it was definitely the best choice.

But…

 _-I'm sorry, Herohero-san. I know it's sad, but we'll just have to bear with it for now…_ Momonga whispered sadly inside his head, as he watched Herohero greet the two girls from before with upturned eyes.

"Everyone, may I have your attention?" The villagers turned to look at the chief, who stood before a large crowd holding a worn old book. "This is a time of great sadness to our village, but while our hearts may be clenched with grief, it is us who remain who must honor those who have been left behind."

 _Hm? So they have funeral rites here as well?_ Momonga who had been distracted started to pay a closer look to the proceedings of the funeral.

"We pray to the Gods, for they are wise in that beyond what we can understand. Just as we are born, we are one day called to eventually return to where we belonged. Those who have gone are now ready to move on to the side of our gods, to join with the world once again."

As the village chief talked, reciting an epitaph from the book on his hands as the first few villagers started placing the bodies of the deceased on the tombs they had dug up. However, with their lacking manpower and large casualties, there was not even enough tombs to cover half of the bodies.

"As they leave us, they return as one to the elements of the universe. It is to the Fire God that their souls depart, to rise once more in another life. The Water God welcomes their blood, that it might give life once again where it was spilled. The Earth God will shelter their body and spread it through the world, and the Wind God shall forever remember the words of wisdom they spoke in life."

Enri and Nemu's eyes filled with tears again as a villager started throwing dirt over their father's corpse. The two girls threw themselves at their mother, who embraced them with equally anguished eyes.

"We may have lost them, but they forever remain in our world. One day, someday, when it is time for everyone to move on as well, we shall meet again. So don't lose heart, and live to the fullest in the next morning that will come. In order to protect the life that those who left are now nurturing…"

Momonga looked as Herohero moved past the crowd of mourning villagers, and picked up one of the shovels lying on the ground. Then, to everyone's shock he started to dig. With his extraordinary strength, he had no problem digging up massive mounds of earth at speeds that would have left most graverobbers crying with envy.

With a stone-like expression, Herohero placed one of the villagers who had been left to later burn on a pyre, and dropped him within the pit like a puppet with its strings cut, just to cover him in soil at record time. After the act, he uttered a buddhist prayer that left Momonga feeling nostalgic.

-Then he moved on to the next one.

"Momonga-sama… Everyone is assembled and ready for your commands." Momonga almost jumped at having Albedo's soft voice jump by his ear so suddenly, but composed himself in time to look at the Overseer with some dignity.

"A-Albedo! Do not approach me so suddenly!" When upon his scolding remark Albedo immediately bowed apologetically, speaking reproachfully to herself about upsetting Momonga like she had incurred the wrath of some angry God, Momonga detected that the situation had gotten dangerous and coughed in order to get her attention. "So, who is it that was assembled?"

"-Yes. There are four hundred servants, in addition to Aura and Mare as commanders. Demiurge and Shalltear are protecting their floors in Nazarick, and Cocytus is patrolling the surroundings."

 _That's way too much!_ "Ah, that's more than enough Albedo. Have everyone but Aura and Mare withdraw, and keep only the stealth-based servants around as a backup." Albedo shivered at his commanding voice, and bowed her head in acceptance.

"Understood. ...May I ask what Herohero-sama is doing?" The armoured demon asked Momonga when she saw the other Supreme Being dig graves for the villagers at a furious pace.

"..." Momonga for the first time found himself without words. It wasn't because he couldn't understand what Herohero was doing, it was because why he was doing it gave him complex feelings. Honoring the dead… Back in Japan that had remained as true as anywhere. When lives were lost, it was natural for one to mourn… But the lack of agitation in his heart confused him, and he couldn't understand Herohero's feelings.

But…

"I think… I get it."

"Momonga-sama?" Albedo watched with surprise as Momonga descended towards the villagers, quietly stepping to where Herohero was throwing up a mountain of dirt with his furious swings.

"Herohero-san." The slime-man had been engrossed in his work he hadn't noticed Momonga until he was but a few paces away. He looked up, just in time to see Momonga picking up another of the shovels that had been thrown aside. "Is there room for one more?"

"...Yeah. There is." Herohero smiled faintly at his friend, but was confused as to why he'd joined in. He himself hadn't understood why he had felt the need to dig the graves for the deceased villagers. It just gave him a sense of… Closure, about the whole event. Like he was fulfilling one last job.

Inwardly, Momonga smiled. As the two players began to dig the final graves back to back, he thought as to why he'd decided to show his gratitude for the villagers. In the end, Momonga had found something to honor. Because, had it not been for these villagers calling his attention, he might have not encountered one of his friends after all.

Yes. He too… Had a debt to settle.

"M-MOMONGA-SAMA!" After a minute of digging, the two players turned to look at a squirming Albedo who had rushed towards them. They almost fell on their face when they saw her wielding a shovel in each hand, so tightly that their handle made tiny splintering sounds whenever her fingers quivered. "Th-there's room for another, right!? Is there!?"

Momonga started sweating mind bullets in exasperation.

* * *

Meanwhile, a second band of soldiers approached the village.

Unlike the knights from before, these soldiers were dressed more lightly, and their armor was haphazard enough that one might have mistaken them for a mercenary group. However, they moved in such a tight formation and with a discipline that belied their true nature. There was no mistake- These were soldiers, and experienced ones at that.

Experience shone in all of their eyes, hard and robust men who had the makings of true warriors. There was no uniform that bound them, but they marched together as brothers nonetheless. Their kinship spoke volumes of their training, and anyone experienced enough would have recognized them as real veterans.

-Then, there was the one who led them all.

Gazef Stronoff reined in his horse and forced the formation to a halt, as he saw a village finally surface in the distance. His eyes narrowed. It looked more intact than the ones they had visited before, but he could clearly see the plumes of smoke that still lingered among some of the areas.

"Is it safe...? It doesn't look like it was fully razed." Gazef frowned heavily, pondering what to do. He had left behind some of his men to care for the survivors of the last destroyed village they had found, but he couldn't keep doing that with all of them. So far this had been the village in the best state he'd seen since he departed from the king's lands and arrived to the frontier.

"What should we do, Head Warrior?" Said one of his men, pulling ahead to join him at staring towards the distant village. Gazef noticed that his hand was on his sword, and his eyes suspiciously darted towards the edges of the forest.

"...Let's go. We were ordered by the king to hunt down the knights raiding the frontier villages, and that is what we are going to do." His subordinate made a complicated expression at that, but nodded regardless. "Come, men!" Gesturing with his arm, the strongest warrior in the Re-Estize Kingdom signaled to the retinue of knights to move just as he ordered his steed to do the same.

 _I will fight the enemies of my King and protect the innocent lives being torn apart in this place._ Gazef made a vow with those words in his heart. If he encountered the ones responsible for causing such massive suffering, he would give them no quarter. He would come at them with the full power of the strongest human in Re-Estize.

-Elsewhere, the shadows over a distant prairie shifted slightly. The clearing which had been empty was suddenly populated by 45 cloaked figures, which stared hungrily at the band of soldiers that even then made their way towards the half-smoldering village.

The cloaked man in the center lifted his hands slowly, then pulled back at the hood which had concealed his face. Artificial-looking black eyes and a hawkish face glared with disdainful joy at the tiny figures of the marching soldiers.

"Men," He began, with a smooth voice. "the prey has entered the cage."

-He smiled, with the grin of a demon.

* * *

 _ **Next:**_ _The Strongest Saviors_


	5. The Strongest Saviors

**Author Notes:**

 **There is no Chapter 4. Forget about it. It doesn't exist, and never will.**

 **I received some complaints about Herohero's title, so I'll go ahead and state that it really won't be showing up at any point in the story from then on, and it's not indicative of anything other than flavor text. Magnum Opus is kind of Tabula's thing, anyways. Maybe I shouldn't have given Herohero a crafting class...**

 **On another note, the first chapter of Volume 9 has been translated, as well as several short stories that shine some new light on Overlord's setting. I thought I might as well write on some of the new information I observed that doesn't adjust to the plans I had for the story.**

 **First, considering that Herohero showed up with his gear I can't just make him lose it over a chapter, even though it was stated in the novel that he gave it away during his own playing time. In this AU I'll assume he kept it, purely for entertainment purposes.**

 **Second, Albedo's hatred for the Supreme Beings (with the exception of Momonga himself) hasn't fully reached its murderous level yet. She still respects them to a point, mostly because Momonga hasn't yet ditched his name for Ainz and because Herohero only left for all of a day before he showed up again. She definitely has a bone to pick with them though.**

 **That's all. This chapter was pretty hard to write for some reason, but it was mostly delayed because I got sick. That said, enjoy the next chapter of Regaining What is Lost.**

 **Chapter 6:** The Strongest Saviors

Gazef Stronoff, the Kingdom's captain of the Royal Guard and the strongest warrior in the kingdom, was not having a good day.

It wasn't that Gazef hated his job- He held nothing but loyalty and respect for his King Ranpossa III, and even considered him his good friend. He didn't mind the days tirelessly spent protecting his king from numerous threats, even when it took his body and mind to its very limits whenever a threat from the many, many enemies to the crown reared one of its ugly heads in.

-However, for all the praise Gazef held towards his King, he couldn't say the same of the kingdom at large.

Having been born amongst the lowest of the low, he understood what it meant to struggle in the lower end of Re-Estize's vicious social ladder. Despite the best efforts of the royal family, nobody could deny that many people in the realm were placed in unfair situations at the whims of those who controlled the Kingdom's citizens from high above. There was a lot of scum within Re-Estize, and…

...Gazef felt like he, his troops and a large number of uninvolved, innocent people had just been victims of another of those dastardly plots.

It was the perfect set-up, he thought. The news of Knights from the empire pillaging villages of little political interest that were often overlooked on anything that wasn't a tax report trickled into the castle so fast that one had to wonder just how lacking were the raiders in their banditry that the news so easily made their way into the Royal Palace. That the news reportedly first came from the mouth of nobles from those opposing the Crown only made it even more suspicious.

Yet Ranpossa was not a king who would ignore the plights of his subjects, and so Gazef had been ordered to form a punitive force to drive the soldiers from the villages. However, the moment that decision had been set it was as if a bait that had been set up beforehand was gobbled up, and the part of the council that comprised the Noble Faction collectively rose as if pulling all their hooks out at once.

'Taking such a large force into a distant part of the Kingdom could be taken as an act of aggression by other nations!' One of the Marquises had stated, having seemingly forgotten that the Slane Theocracy held no qualms about launching demi-human extermination campaigns at the Kingdom's border, or the Empire's own malicious actions that were responsible for the punitive force in the first place.

Others argued that the strength of the Head Warrior was too big of a move for Ranpossa, and also a sign of weakness from the King. To send a man that could beat an entire army with his full array of magic items was the kind of action that could not be taken as anything but an act of far larger reach than simple bandit hunting.

In the end, the ceaseless complaints from the nobles had caused Ranpossa to reluctantly cut down on Gazef's supplies for the mission… Which ended up with him and his knights being stripped of all their magic items and sent with no more than 100 men to save the villagers from raiders whose numbers and skill were both mostly unknown.

 _No matter how you look at it, it's a setup right…?_ Had he been able to show weakness in front of his subordinates, Gazef would have sighed at that thought. But he was known for his iron will, and so he had bravely accepted the mission from his king, knowing that if it wasn't him that went then the frontier villagers were doomed.

So it was that Gazef had set out with his century of men, hoping to do what he could to save the commoners being preyed on by the evils of men. However, he hadn't met with much success- For the first three villagers that their company had visited, all they had found in the end was ashes and the ruins of where people might once have lived in.

It was unnerving, it was sickening, and it was his fault for not being fast enough. He'd done everything he could to wrap up the survivors and send them off to E-Rantel, but even though he'd done his best to set out to the next village as fast as possible, the result had repeated itself. It was as if the enemy were taunting him, drawing further along the frontier each time like a sick game of cat and mouse.

Once he found whoever was responsible for such brutal acts, he'd be sure to show them exactly how he felt about those ways. At his rate however, Gazef felt that he would never get ahead of the one behind the raids…

...So he was pleasantly surprised when he caught sight of a village that did not look completely leveled. Though he was weighed down by his caution, he had still decided to make his way to it with his entire force. Even if it was a trap, he wanted to hope that there was still something he could do to protect the villagers.

To his relief (as well as his shock), he and his men had run into people as soon as they had wandered past a few houses. Though scared at first, the villagers had shown relief after Gazef revealed his identity and told him about what had happened: how they had been attacked by the Knights of the Empire, but had been saved by 'a pair of magic casters' that drove the soldiers off with terrible monsters.

Upon further directions from the villagers as they'd become more aware of his presence, Gazed had been led to the village square where the mysterious pair of magic casters were said to be waiting, alongside the chief of the village. His men had been hesitant to let him get close to someone who was spoken of with such awe by the villagers, but Gazef had dismissed their fears. If someone was truly responsible for doing his work, then he needed to show his gratitude with all of his heart.

However, when the time came to meet said pair...

"I am the Head Warrior of the Kingdom of Re-Estize, Gazef Stronoff! Under orders from the king, I have brought a punitive force to drive away the raids on villages inflicted by the Imperial Knights!" Gazef proudly announced himself, staring warily at the three figures that weathered his words with only the slightest reaction of surprise.

It wasn't enough that the three had a strange appearance, though the masked one was by far the most unnerving. No, while Gazef was curious about the odd humanoids, he was far more disturbed by the three monsters that lingered behind them.

The first one was a creature of fine silver fur, whose physical appearance radiated a majestuous presence. To his trained warrior eyes, he could clearly understand that the creature was strong on a level that very few could match- With his gear on, perhaps Gazef would have been capable of fighting it. But as he currently stood, he couldn't be sure.

The second was clearly a slime of some kind, but it looked absolutely nothing like the mindless oozes that sometimes clogged sewers or appeared in other humid climates. It had a clear humanoid form, wielded blade-like arms and stared straight at him with burning eyes that gave chills to his spine.

Yet while the two creatures were unsettling, the last one was terrifying. Gazef was no stranger to the undead, as any veteran who fought at Katze Plains could tell you, but this monster was something that even he had trouble accepting its existence. Far taller than any man, it looked as if someone had taken the skeleton out of a giant and armed them with the tools of a human. There was an aura of wrongness about the undead's body, and even from the way it glared at him with those empty eyes, Gazef could almost touch the hatred for all living things that came from it.

To command three of such creatures… Whoever the 'pair' of magic casters was out of the three people he was talking to, he was sure that they were no normal beings.

That said, of all he was expecting for a reply, he was surprised when none of the three figures actually answered his question. They simply stood there, the only one whose expression was visible staring at him with what he could only describe as a mix between confusion and frustration.

Instead of giving him an immediate answer, the dusk-haired man turned slightly towards an elderly man, hurriedly whispering a jumble of hushed words. Curious, Gazef looked closer at the source of the man's attention. Though aged, the man did indeed look wise, and the way he moved himself was as if he held a far greater weight than simple looks would give away…

Immediately, he asked.

"Ah, you must be the village chief. Then, could I ask you for the identities of the three standing besides you?" He said so not in a demanding way, but merely inquiring out of his own curiosity. The village chief stared at him, as if unsure of how to respond, when-

"-That's quite alright." The man with the vacant eyes cut in, looking at Gazef with a scrutinous look that seemed to slacken slightly after just a short moment. "We were going to introduce ourselves anyways, right…?" He turned towards the taller, masked figure and the two of them exchanged a nod. Whatever went between the two was left unsaid, but Gazef didn't have time to wonder about it as the latter of the pair had stepped forwards.

"I am Momonga, a Magic Caster. He is Herohero, my comrade." As he introduced the group, the one Gazef now knew as Herohero bowed slightly. The masked man next gestured to the only female of the three, who was standing far closer to him. "And this is Albedo, my- ...Our servant." There was something strange about the way he had hurriedly changed his words and how the woman had started to… twitch when he started his sentence, but Gazef paid it no mind.

"We are a group known as Ainz Ooal Gown, and we're the ones responsible for saving this village." The masked figure… Momonga, spoke in a low, controlled voice as he motioned towards his comrades. Gazef's first impression of him was that of a reserved man… But a dangerous one that exuded confidence. His nonplussed reaction to Gazef's words made the warrior think that Momonga was used to being in control of the situation.

In other words, he was probably the leader.

"I see… My thanks to you all for saving this village. Forgive me for not having anything to pay you with for this great favor to the Kingdom." Gazef quickly said this after he stepped off his horse, bowing before the three figures as well as he could while wearing plate armor.

There was a pause, before Gazef finally heard a reply from the village's mysterious savior.

"We do not need a reward. We already received payment from the villagers." At that statement, the two male members of the group exchanged a brief glance, during which Herohero shook his head quietly. To Gazef's intuition, it seemed as if the message he was trying to convey was an ominous ' _not yet_ ', which made him wonder.

"I see… If you received payment, are you perhaps mercenaries? Or maybe adventurers?" He asked curiously, though he still addressed them respectfully. "Forgive me, I'm sure you must be greatly famous, but I've never heard the name of Ainz Ooal Gown before."

The two who had spoken so far froze at that, looking visibly stricken by the words. Even the third figure moved at his words, staring worriedly at Momonga.

"Is… that so?"Momonga muttered in a sullen voice, the reasons of which escaped him. However, just as Gazef was about to stammer an apology for whatever offense his words might have caused, he seemed to recover and lifted his head towards the warrior once more. "Yes… That indeed makes sense. We are foreign travellers, so at the moment we are not very well known."

"Ah… Foreigners? Yes, that might explain a lot. Where would you come from, Momonga-dono? Are you from the Empire, or perhaps from the Theocracy…?" If they were from the Theocracy or the Empire, it would explain while he had never heard of them and why they had shown up in the frontier. Because of that, he made a reasonable assumption.

However, the answer he was given did not sate his curiosity, and it was far from simple...

"Hahahaha… You could say… It's really far away…" Herohero said, scratching the back of his neck with one arm while looking down at the ground.

...That voice of his, was filled with loneliness.

* * *

In the outskirts of the village, Nigun Grid Luin chuckled as his 'cage' continued to spread across the town perimeter.

"Everyone, devote thine faith unto God. As long as you hold him within your heart, we shall overcome this enemy." The blond-haired man gestured with open arms as his subordinates spread out and circled the village, lying in wait for the enemy in their black shrouds. His subordinates did not show any signs of acknowledging his words, but they seemed to place renewed strength into their spellcasting.

The captain of the Sunlight Scripture watched with pleased satisfaction as portals of light appeared at the words of his subordinates, marking the successful completion of the high-tier summoning spells they had readied as the mission started. The beings that descended from the portals were truly magnificent to behold- Pure winged humanoids fully encased in stark white armor, they possessed a celestial beauty that was not of this world.

-They were the summoned creatures thought to be messengers of the Six Gods, also known as Angels.

The ability to summon Angels was not common in the slightest. Only the most talented magic casters, capable of using Holy magic of the 3rd tier were able to summon the mid-ranked angel, Archangel Flame. These great creatures were excellent holy knights, capable of withstanding all but the most brutal of physical attacks and bearing a resistance to most conventional forms of attack, on top of their natural ability of flight.

However, every single one of Nigun's subordinates had summoned one of these Archangels. Nigun himself had summoned an even superior creature, a four-winged angel that hovered above him in the air and gazed dispassionately at the other mages. It was the Principality of Observation, one of the highest-ranked Angels known to holy summoning spells.

Such magical strength was not borne by any normal force in the country- Nigun and his forces were in truth part of one of the most secretive and powerful organizations that existed within the Slane Theocracy. They were part of the nation's intelligence organism, and were commonly assigned with the task of quietly exterminating growing demi-human threats within the land's borders: they were the Sunlight Scripture, one of the Six Scriptures that protected the Slane Theocracy from the shadows.

-However, their current mission, while it could be considered an extermination of sorts, had nothing to do with their usual tasks.

"Really, for us to handle such a task… Did none of the other teams have the ability to handle this?" Nigun muttered darkly, as he continued to stare at the distant village. At his words, one of the subordinates that had stayed behind to protect him from a possible ambush raised his voice.

"Maybe they thought that sneak attacks might not work that well against Gazef Stronoff, Captain? Perhaps they just wanted to use brute force to get it over with, since he's rumored to be crazy strong." Nigun looked at the subordinate that spoke. Though his face was hidden by the cowl that also doubled as a mask, he could feel the youth in his voice and was impressed.

"Well, Gazef is strong. But a single human has no chance against an entire scripture, no matter how strong he could be. Perhaps if it was someone like the Empire's Archmage… But that would be ridiculous. No, they probably sent us on this mission in order to brush up on our infiltration skills. If a village of demi-humans were too close to the border, it's likely that we might have to conceal our actions to a degree." Nigun idly scratched at the long scar that marred his face as he spoke.

The truth was nothing like what he had stated, but Nigun had reasons to withhold information from his subordinate. As a captain of one of the Scriptures, Nigun was privy to a lot of information that the common man was oblivious to. To begin with, it was him that had received the mission briefing from the Six Archbishops pertaining the assassination of Gazef Stronoff.

Normally, a task of such caliber would first be assigned to the Windflower Scripture which specialized in covert operations as well as spyfaring. Failing that, the next logical resource at the Theocracy's disposal would of course be the strongest of the Six Scriptures that could carry out any task, the Black Scripture. However...

He knew that the Black Scripture was currently busy preparing for the resurrection of one of the Dragon Lords, and they were protecting a priceless divine artifact that could hopefully end the threat as it was born. The resurrection of a Dragon Lord was an event that could disturb the very balance of the world, and as such it was far larger in scope than Nigun's current task.

In addition, the Windflower Scripture was caught up in clean-up duty from one of the most tragic events to have befallen the nation. Not only had one of the Black Scripture's members defected, they had also stolen the Crown of Wisdom and departed with it to places unknown. That said member had been rumoured to deal with Zuranon, which was now even further submerged in shady circumstances surrounding some Demon God, only further necessitated the swift response from the Theocracy.

Given that these two scriptures had their hands tied, it fell to Nigun and his men to handle this golden opportunity that had surfaced at the behest of two of the Kingdom's factions clashing.

"Besides… The strong people in this Kingdom are truly foolish. Both Gazef Stronoff, and that damn Blue Rose priestess…" Nigun darkly recalled the girl that had given him this scar. They had been assigned with the extermination of a village of Hobgoblins, and the girl and her foolish team had interrupted in the middle of the fighting in order to repel them. The girl's strength had been brutal, such that he had wished the Archbishops had given him the trump card he carried on his breast at that time.

Nigun did not really consider himself a cruel person. However, he was a strong believer that the ends justified the means. In order to protect the weak human race, monsters and demi-humans needed to be pruned with relentless prejudice. To shepherd humanity and guide it to glory was the Theocracy's God-given mission, and at times he grew frustrated when other people failed to understand this.

He did not believe his actions to be wrong. In the first place, history was filled with tales of brutal monsters that crushed humans like ants, feasted on their flesh or bathed in their blood. Even some of the Dragon Lords, supposed 'Guardians' of the world, had partaken of cruelty towards human beings. These sins were not just in the past, either- Reports flooded in of a new horde of numberless beastmen in the east, that had only recently been repelled by the efforts of a heroic figure in the Draconic Kingdom. Previous to their defeat, they had pillaged many of the nation's eastern fiefdoms and pushed it to the brink of desperation, to the point they had even offered a ridiculous amount of money to the Theocracy in hopes that they would send aid.

One of four human nations had almost been toppled and overrun, simply because a particularly strong demi-human had united the beastmen and decided to ravage it. That was the unfair reality of a world where humans were 10 times weaker on average to any other race of the same size. That injustice was the core of the Sunlight Scripture's _raison d'etre_ , it was why their members felt no remorse when slaughtering the helpless creatures that were so often their targets.

-To do lesser Evils, for the sake of a greater Good. To achieve their Gods' mission in this world. That was the holy purpose of all of the Scriptures.

"Weak-willed people like them who adhere to their stupid naivety… They disgust me." Nigun said to himself, as dark thoughts continued to simmer over the honorable warrior Gazef and the idealistic Priestess that called herself the 'Blue Rose'. While some might have found their qualities admirable, Nigun just thought it was a waste of their talent.

"Hahahaha…" His subordinate laughed awkwardly. "I guess the Kingdom must be stupid, however. To send their strongest warrior this far without any of his gear… Is their in-fighting really that bad?" He said so with a mixture of amusement and slight disbelief.

"Mm. It is so." Nigun's face scrunched up in disgust, but he did not disagree with the other mage's statement. The Re-Estize Kingdom was widely known to be divided in two factions: those who supported the King's actions and favored the growth of the realm as a centralized state were called the Crown Faction, while those who sought to take power from the King and divide it among the aristocracy were called the Noble Faction. Cornering Gazef Stronoff in such a miserable state was only possible because of the efforts of the Noble Faction, that desperately wished for the King's strongest piece to be removed from play.

Not only that, but Gazef was known for having the King's ear at all times and it was known the two even considered each other friends. For a commoner like Gazef who only knew how to swing a sword, having such a close relationship to the King was seen as something the likes of a sin by the nobles, and he was reviled as a dog who did not know his place.

 _What a bunch of idiots_. Thought Nigun, feeling nothing but distaste for the barbaric way in which the kingdom was governed. The Slane Theocracy was completely united in its thought- While each of the Six Gods had their own faith, they all respected each other and worked together for the betterment of humanity. The same could not be said of Re-Estize's government, where the humans seemed more interested in fighting each other than spreading their eyes outwards.

In an ideal world, all of humanity would have been united under the power of the Theocracy. But while Nigun knew that their nation was blessed by the Gods, using their artifacts for such a blatant power grab would likely awaken the ire of the Dragon Lords, and that would be the end of their existence.

The best they could do was weaken this Kingdom through covert means such as these, and place their hopes that a stronger nation would come out from the waves their actions would make. If the death of Gazef Stronoff led to a civil war and the annexation of the Kingdom by the Empire and the Theocracy, then that would take them a step closer to uniting humanity.

It would take them a step closer to achieving their God's mission. As he thought that- Nigun decided in his heart that they would not fail.

His subordinate, however, did not look so sure. "Can we… Can we really take Gazef on? The one who's called humanity's strongest warrior…" He suddenly looked as if he'd swallowed something unpleasant.

However…

"Do not worry. Without his equipment, this shouldn't be too difficult. Let us thank God that we have been given the chance to succesfully carry out this mission, because otherwise it would've been impossible." Nigun smirked, and then clapped his hands in order to summon the attention of the nearby mages.

 _Gazef, you fool. You should have stayed at your King's lap, where you belonged._ Spreading his arms, he yelled out to his subordinates as their finished their summoning spells. "Very well then… Commence the attack!"

* * *

"Looks like they've come." Herohero watched nervously as the Head Warrior looked out of the window, gritting his teeth as he obviously reacted to whoever he had noticed outside.

The sudden arrival of Gazef had surprised Momonga and Herohero. The Ooze player had tried to avoid being surprised anymore whenever something outside his expectations happened in the world, but it was still something he struggled with. To both of the players, the events that were playing out were entirely beyond their expertise.

However, Momonga had handled things far better than Herohero had expected. Not only had he addressed Gazef with perfect calmness, he'd somehow managed to get him on the table, fully disclosing the nature of his mission and in a way had even helped establish amicable relations with the warrior, if not outright friendship.

That a supposedly famous figure like Gazef had never heard of Ainz Ooal Gown was like a punch to the gut for both players, but it hadn't gotten their hopes entirely down. After having gone over some brief introductions with Gazef, the two had learned that he wasn't that large of a public figure and his activity was mostly restrained to the capital, outside of extraordinary circumstances such as the one they'd found themselves in.

But still…

" _Momonga-san, looks like those knights weren't just bandits after all right? Hahahaha…"_ After receiving Herohero's message, Momonga shook in nervousness and quickly formed a reply, keeping his eyes fixed on the Head Warrior and making sure to keep his stance as solid as possible.

" _Of course they weren't bandits! I thought it was war, but it was actually an elaborate set-up… We really messed up with this one, Herohero-san…"_ If he'd had muscles Momonga would be quaking in his boots. He hadn't really thought deeply when he rushed to help his friend, but now he thought that it might have been better if the two had left immediately after dealing with the knights.

Momonga wasn't a fan of danger, yet something like what had happened to the villagers was not only distasteful to him, but he'd also needed a relatively contained environment where he could experiment with offensive magic. From that point of view, helping the villagers and then staying behind to make use of their goodwill to collect information was a wise decision.

However, that had changed now. With the presence of Gazef, there was now a chance that Herohero and Momonga could be put in a political spotlight. If the two of them made an enemy of him, it was possible that they would incur the wrath of an army- No, maybe even the ire of an entire nation. Even the presence of troops in the vicinity was dangerous, as one of them might discover Nazarick.

If it was solely up to Momonga, he would have quickly excused himself from Gazef's presence and pulled back to consider his options, but…

" _Yeah but… I couldn't just leave them alone, you know? It was like one of those scenes from a war movie…"_ Momonga's eyes went blank for a moment when he received Herohero's message. He was probably talking about wars like Europe's recent war over energy resources or the Russians' involvement in the Middle East. He'd watched his share of movies, and from a human standpoint could see why Herohero's thoughts played out like that.

However, he couldn't find himself agreeing. Even if he could acknowledge the situation as cruel, if Momonga thought that such selfless actions could possibly weaken the Nazarick that his friends had built, he would have never taken such a step. After all, it was his duty as guildmaster to preserve the Guild's strength, was it not…?

-But it left a bad taste in his mouth, so in the end he could only nod along to Herohero's statements.

"Could those be Angels…? Then this must be the work of…!" At Gazef's surprised words, both heteromorphs brought their heads closer in order to look through the opening that Gazef was using. With their extraordinary eyesight, Momonga and Herohero could easily single out the shady characters that advanced on the village, as well as the creatures that followed.

The two of them simultaneously doubled back, unable to believe what they just saw.

" _Momonga-san, aren't those monsters from the game!?"_ At Momonga's nod, Herohero started rubbing his temples in frustration. " _Just what is going on here? Goblins I can understand, but those Angels might as well be realistic cutouts from the game itself! It makes no sense…"_ Herohero's words were filled with confusion.

However, his statement woke a spark of inspiration in Momonga. " _That's not true, Herohero-san! Think about it… Maybe there are things that don't resemble the game at all. But aren't there things that were taken from the game as well? I mean, there's two of them sitting in this room right here…"_ As he said that, he could see how Herohero's face dawned in realization.

" _You think… It could be the work of other players? Th-That's great!"_ That news changed everything. If the presence of Angels from YGGDRASIL could be attributed to the existence of players, then the chance of other players besides the two of them being around became much higher than zero. Rather, it grew from possible to probable, as such a close encounter to player influence could only mean an encounter was likely.

However, as the two players' hearts coloured with hope…

"This is bad… To think they would send one of the Scriptures after me…" Gazef's words piqued the curiosity of the players, who had been too busy speaking to each other to listen to the Head Warrior's words.

"What do you mean, Stronoff-san? What's a Scripture?" Herohero's question brought the stout man's attention back to them, and the warrior sighed as if a heavy weight rested on his shoulders. He looked at them with an impassive stare, and started explaining as best as he could.

-In other words, the Slane Theocracy possessed Six Scriptures which acted as special forces within the Slane Theocracy's arsenal. From the Windflower Scripture's assassins and spies, to the Black Scripture's experimental soldiers that were said to be superior to even adamantite-ranked Adventurers. Incidentally, each Scripture paid homage to one of the Six Gods that existed in the realm, and they all specialized in different missions.

Gazef's knowledge was second-hand, so it was murky at best but the two players managed to understand the gist of it. That was-

"In other words, the attacks on the villages were all a set-up by the Theocracy to get rid of Stronoff-san...?" Herohero muttered with a tone that hinted at disgust, as he finally realized the underlying events that were responsible for taking the lives of the villagers. He felt as if he was going to puke.

"So that's it…" Momonga felt as if everything clicked into place with Gazef's words. By some form of freak coincidence, his meeting with Herohero had been staged in the middle of a Cold War-like conflict between two nations. With Gazef's military intelligence and the village chief's information, he finally could understand their situation a little better. "...And they are an opponent you can't face? Forgive me for my rudeness, but aren't you the kingdom's Head Warrior? If the enemies are other humans, then..."

"-I'm at a disadvantage." Gazef shook his head in frustration. He looked angry at something, but both players couldn't be sure if it was about the situation or someone in particular. "Because of the Nobles' faction, my gear was all taken away for this mission. It's sad to say, but I've been had. Heh- They must really want to kill me."

Herohero's eyes creased with worry. The way Gazef acted was strange. He could see how his hands were shaking slightly, but there was no sign of fear when his spoke. There was a steel in his voice which made him… Curious.

"Aren't you scared that they'll kill you?" The question came out faster than Herohero could control his mouth, and it caused both Momonga and Gazef to stare at him in shock. He was about to apologize, when-

"Hahahahaha! That's right, isn't it!?" To their surprise, Gazef laughed their words off. "I was prepared to risk my life in the first place. As Head Warrior, I know there are a lot of people who are dissatisfied with my status, and I'm always in danger of losing my head. But…" Gazef looked at the outside, and then back at the sword that rested at his hip. "...As a warrior, it's my duty to face death. I can't just lower my head or run away when the people I'm supposed to protect are being killed. From the moment I left the capital, I was prepared to fight until my body stopped moving."

"That's… Very admirable of you." That was all the two of them could say in response to Gazef's words. The resolve in his voice had left them speechless. The warrior's words were just like cheesy lines from a movie, but neither of them could mock them in their current context. Even if what they felt was different, they still couldn't help but admire his determination to see everything through to the end.

"...Forgive me, Momonga-dono. But there's something I would like to ask. By any chance… Are you accepting employment right now?" He spoke with a wry smile, but Momonga noticed the sliver of hope in his eyes.

" _Let's do it."_ He started the moment the message came, and looked at Herohero. The disguised slime's eyes were fixed in a determined stare, there was a faint light in that vacant gaze that reflected something pure… Something human. " _Let's help him, Momonga-san."_

" _...Herohero. This… isn't the same as saving the villagers, you know that right? If we help him against the Scripture… That's as good as a political move."_ Even as he said that, Momonga was already thinking on how they could minimize losses if they did choose to fight the Scripture. It would be necessary to block all information magic of course, and he couldn't let any of them escape since they could turn the Theocracy into an enemy of Nazarick.

It was… Doable. Risky, but doable. Still, while he felt that helping Gazef wouldn't be so bad, it didn't really sit well with him to take such risks.

Herohero thought otherwise. " _And why shouldn't we? I know this isn't my forte, and I won't do anything you're not committed to as well, Momonga-san. But… Didn't you tell me you wanted to seek support from a country? If we save Gazef, we might be able to obtain the kingdom's strength. Besides… I don't want to back out now."_ Herohero looked down at his hands, thinking about the villagers he'd buried. The ones truly responsible for their deaths were still out there, and if they weren't stopped then… " _This might be kind of childish…"_ Herohero smiled mirthfully. " _But I really don't want to let the 'bad guys' win."_

"...Very well." Momonga answered, to both his friend and the warrior at the same time. "In light of your determination… I believe Ainz Ooal Gown can extend a helping hand once more." He lifted his head to meet Gazef's eyes, which had grown wide with surprise.

The warrior immediately fell to his knees. "My deepest thanks, Momonga-dono! Whatever you wish for as payment, I will guarantee it!" Without an ounce of shame, Gazef prostrated himself before the two guild members, shoulders shaking with relief as he thought the lives of his men were now safe.

"Mm. As for payment…" Momonga spread out his arms. "I hope you will gladly receive us in that capital of yours!" Feeling silent laughter, Momonga waved a hand at Herohero who was chuckling at his theatrics.

"Yes, Momonga-dono! I swear on my name, I shall not forget this debt!" After that, he was beckoned to rise by Momonga and soon after all three of them had sat back at the table, continuing to watch the approaching figures.

"Then… How should we handle the members from the Scripture, Momonga-dono, Herohero-dono?" Gazef asked with a curious gaze.

The two players exchanged a glance.

"I think I may have an idea…" Herohero began, a dark-looking smirk on his face.

* * *

It happened as they had started to encroach on the village.

"...! Captain, it's Stronoff!" Nigun was startled by one of his subordinates, who pointed at one of the houses in the distance. The figure that came out was definitely that of Stronoff- At least it resembled the Stronoff from the briefing. However, his actions made Nigun grow confused. "He's… alone? No-! There's at least three people with him!"

 _Three people? That's too few. Is he not bringing his men with him? Surely he doesn't think he can negotiate…?_ Nigun watched the four figures that calmly walked out of the village. He saw Gazef on the lead, but failed to recognize any of the others. Only one of the three others was armored in plate, but their armor did not resemble the one used by the kingdom's soldiers. The last two only served to confuse him. _Why does he wear the mask?_

He shook his head, dismissing the thought. _If he wants to take the bait…_ "Abandon the village. Encircle Gazef and his men!" He grinned as his men's open formation started to close up, the angels and magicians cautiously closing the four people's escape route as they continued to advance fearlessly.

Though he was slightly on edge at the strange people Gazef had with him, he couldn't help but feel victorious. The most likely scenario was that they were adventurers Gazef had recruited- But however strong they were, there was no way they would be able to deal with Nigun's perfect trap. The Sunlight Scripture was not a force that could be so easily defeated.

If his four opponents were unnerved by the encirclement, they didn't show it. They simply stared at Nigun, having identified him as the leader of the squad by how he was surrounded by men and how he faced them at the furthest point of the encirclement.

"...Gazef Stronoff." Nigun announced, holding his arms out as he welcomed the warrior into the cage. "What is this? Have you decided to quietly give up your life? Or are you going to put up a pitiful struggle like that of a dying dog?"

Gazef's eyes narrowed at the insult, but he didn't take the bait. Instead, he looked at the man and answered with a question of his own. "So it's my life you're after, then. Who sent you!? Are the Scriptures taking money from the Kingdom's nobles to do their dirty work now!?" There was no hiding the anger in Gazef's eyes as he yelled at the man he thought responsible for slaughtering innocent men.

"Don't be stupid. You of all people know perfectly well how many enemies your rise as Head Warrior has made. Is it really surprising you were sent to the slaughter? Who sent us is not important, as it will not change the fact…" Nigun smirked down at the warrior, as his subordinates' angels began to descend threateningly. "...That this place will become your grave, Stronoff."

"This place already has enough graves." The person who cut in was not Gazef, but one of the figures that had accompanied him. He was lightly armoured, but just like Gazef he seemed to give off the presence of a powerful fighter. His vacant purple eyes stared straight at him with such piercing intensity that Nigun actually hesitated for a moment. "But if we're going to add to the pile, I promise the corpse won't be his."

"...And who are you supposed to be?" Nigun glared at the man, irritation evident in his tone. From his words alone, he'd already determined that he most likely ate the same kind of naive drabble as Gazef himself.

"Please forgive our rudeness, men of the Slane Theocracy." The masked man then stepped forwards, and Nigun's eyebrows shot up at the way the rest of the three deferred to his movements. "My name is Momonga, and I am the leader of the Guild Ainz Ooal Gown. If possible, may I take some of your time to state a few words?"

 _Is he trying to stall for time…? No, there's no purpose in that if they know our target is Gazef and he's right there. Then…_ Nigun crossed his arms, showing his agreement as he patiently waited for the masked figure to continue. The more he talked, the better the grasp he could obtain over the man's aims.

"Then, I'd like to begin by saying-" With completely controlled movements, Momonga reached out with his gloved hands… And crushed the air in front of him, clenching his fists tightly. The expressionless mask on his face seemed to contort to leer straight at him. As bloodlust was spiked in the air, Momonga rose the curtains of the conflict with a bone-chilling claim.

"-That none of you stand a single chance of defeating us."

There was a long silence, until-

"...Fuha… Hahahahahaha! Seriously, that was what you wanted to say?" Nigun groaned, scolding himself for even thinking that the man would even have anything useful to say. "I can assure you, the price for such ignorance will be nothing less than painful on the extreme." Nigun raised an arm, about to order his troops to move out, but it appeared that the masked man was not yet done.

"...You seem to have stolen those words from my mouth." Chuckling lightly, the man continued as he ignored Nigun's disdainful glower. "As a magic caster, do you think I would not step out like this if I wasn't absolutely sure of my victory?" His voice lowered as he continued to explain himself. "-That is, I do not need any preparation of sorts in order to defeat you."

Nigun wanted to scoff at his words, but hesitated when a vague feeling of unease settled in his body. It was true- This 'Momonga' was definitely geared as a magic caster, but to come out in the open like this without using any flight spells or special protections spoke of either great stupidity… Or absolute confidence.

"It looks as if you understand. Then, allow me to ask: the spell that you're using to summon those," He began, tilting his head towards the floating Angels. "it's a magic of the third tier known as [ **Summon Angel** ], is it not?"

Nigun frowned, growing more and more irritated at the strange man. "Is that a rhetorical question, or do you really not know?" He ground his teeth, staring at the magic caster with utter loathing.

Momonga clapped his hands abruptly. "I see! So it is the same spell as YGGDRASIL then. But… It's a pity. It seems that really is the extent of your knowledge, as you have yet to react to my terminology…" Momonga shook his head in what looked to Nigun like disappointment. "Just when I thought we'd found another player…"

"Stop that mumbling! State your business or die quietly!" Nigun snapped, as him and his men advanced another step towards the four.

"...You're an impatient one, aren't you? Very well." Momonga gestured towards the village. "In light of your inhumane acts, we were employed by Gazef Stronoff to stop you and bring you to heel for the sake of those villagers. Our offer is simple-" With a regal sweep of his arm, he gestured at all of Nigun's men. "-Surrender your lives quietly, and you will not have to suffer from despair and death. Resist, and…" He let his words linger dangerously on the air.

Nigun was about to mock him, but his words died in his throat. At that moment… He felt it. A queer feeling that rose up within him as he continued to stare at the mysterious figures. Now that he paid closer attention… There was something dangerous about them. It was as if a thick pressure hung in the air, and there was a stale smell that reminded him of death.

For the first time since he had been forced to flee from the Blue Rose, Nigun trembled in fear. The scene that once had been humorous now felt more real than it had any right to be, and Nigun felt deeply disturbed by the huge presence the cloaked Momonga seemed to exude. It was as if with his threat, the entire atmosphere had changed.

At that instant, Nigun's fight or flight instincts triggered. Knowing that there was escape was impossible, he immediately started barking orders to his subordinates. "Have the Angels attack immediately! Kill Gazef Stronoff, he's our target!"

At Nigun's command, at least ten Angels left the encirclement and swept towards his four enemies. Leaving a trail of light as they flew, they all moved straight towards the figure of Gazef Stronoff, who merely drew his sword and waited their attack.

However, for them to even get to the warrior in the first place-

"[ **Chain Lightning** ]!" There was a blinding light that covered everything, and Nigun's world was enveloped in the whiteness of that light as well as the smell of ozone. When he blinked so that he could see again, he almost screamed when he saw five of the Archangels simply fade into dust and balls of light as lightning continued to sizzle between them. "Albedo! Herohero!"

-They first had to overcome… An invincible enemy.

"Angels… They don't look like good guys to me…!" Herohero muttered absentmindedly as his body stalked forwards. It took only a single step, but the two angels which had been aiming to attack Gazef suddenly found a purple-haired figure between them. One of the angels startlingly turned to look at him-

-Before Herohero's hand pressed down on his shoulder. Like it was made of plasticine, the Angel's body twisted horribly in reaction to the titanic force exerted by the shapeshifted slime's arm. Its head snapped back like a cork popped while the rest of its body caved in around the slime's hand like a crushed tin can.

"Huh. Looks like they're just monsters, after all." He muttered darkly, the two angel carcasses on each of his hands twitching slightly before they faded into sparkling light. Nigun took a step back when he saw such a ridiculous action, and felt a tingling that chilled him to the core when the man's vacant eyes looked right at him.

"Oh my…!" The captain of the Sunlight Scripture then turned to where the last of the angels had remained, only to see the black-armoured figure absentmindedly tapping her cheek while she cradled her bloodstained axe with the other. "I let one of them get away…" She said, just as Nigun noticed the two corpses beneath her collapse into light.

"Stronoff-san!"

"O-one of these is no problem for me! HAAAA-!" Gazef's stare of awe upon seeing the ease with which the other three dispatched their enemies was dispelled when he saw the last Angel heading straight towards him. The Angel did not pause to consider the death of its comrades, but simply charged at Gazef with a heart full of determination. Its flaming sword was aimed straight at the warrior's heart, but…

-Like mist, Gazef gracefully evaded the blow as his body took on a faint glowing aura. The moment after, his sword brutally cleaved through the Angel and cleaved it in half. There was no need for a second strike- A single blow was enough to deal fatal damage.

As the final Angel collapsed into light, the silence was so thick that you could hear a pin drop.

"...That was amazing, Stronoff-san. What was that?" It was Herohero who asked, staring curiously at the aura that faded from Gazef's body as he took his next breath. The warrior turned towards him, curious.

"Ah, have you never seen [Martial Arts] before?" At the man's nod, Gazef frowned with confusion. "But, you're such a strong warrior… How did you kill those Angels if not with a Martial Art?"

Whatever Herohero was about to reply with…

"Wh-what!? Th-that's not possible…! Ten angels… Ten of God's divine messengers, to kill them so easily…" Nigun was staring at the scene with gaping eyes, his jaw unhinged as he watched a scene that he couldn't believe. His brain wanted to just shut down, but it was his fear that kept him aware of the situation.

"Excuse me, but what are you surprised about?" Herohero turned towards Nigun, staring him with the same dead eyes as before. "That is… We did warn you beforehand, didn't we?" Still glaring at him, he raised his fist- Now free of the blood that he'd crushed out of the angels. "You're lucky… Unlike the villages you attacked, at least we gave you a choice."

The void in his eyes did not waver in the slightest as he continued. "Everything that happens from here on… It's all your fault."

"It is as he says." The masked man echoed his friend's words with an ominous call. "Now then…" He stepped forwards. Everyone else, even the remaining Angels, stepped back. "-Is it our turn to kill all of you, now?"

 _I have to retreat. I have to retreat, or they'll kill me! But if I fail, I…_ "All of the Angels! A-Attack now! KILL THEM!" In response to his panicked words, nearly two score Archangels shot like bullets towards the four figures.

"A foolish endeavor. Everyone, protect Gazef Stronoff!" As he gave out his command, Momonga held out his arms towards most of the Archangels that came from the front, and waved them in an arc as they glowed with brightly growing power. "This should do it. [ **Prismatic Wave** ]!"

Nigun's eyes grew in horror as he saw what looked like a blast of multicoloured light overcome the forms of all the angels that had swept in from the front. When the blast faded away, the effects that remained were disturbing. Some of the corpses looked burnt- Others were half-molten, while other still looked as if they had recieved Momonga's previous lightning spell.

But the spell that Momonga had used was not mere offensive magic. Some of the angels had even turned to stone, laying helplessly on the grass before shortly fading away, others simply appeared to convulse briefly before shattering, while the most disturbing cases laughed in a distorted voice as they stabbed themselves over and over with their own blades.

He had never seen that magic before. He'd heard of powerful color-based magic of course, but to the extent of his knowledge it only appeared on legends. It was not supposed to be the kind of magic that mere mortals could wield. It was as he remembered this, than Nigun truly started to realize the depth of the crisis he was involved in.

-However, Nigun wasn't done being surprised yet.

A violent sound exploded through the clearing- Like that of a loud explosion. Turning to see the source, Nigun trembled when he saw that the source of the sound came from the unarmed man as he disposed as the rest of the angels. A single swing of his fists caused an angel's torso to explode in a shower of blood and feathers. He shifted in and out of view, flicking faster than the sounds he made as he bent his enemies' bodies in ways that were not anatomically possible and even clobbered them against one another as if they were makeshift weapons.

By comparison, the way the only woman in the group dispatched the angels was no less brutal… But far more sadistic than the swift deaths delivered by the striker. The armored warrior would clip the wings off the archangels with surgical precision, only to brutally stomp on their fallen bodies and leave them as no more than imprints on the ground. The way she seemed to convulse with joy as she did so only served to disturb Nigun further.

It hadn't taken long. Not even ten seconds had passed before all of Nigun's Angels had been dispelled.

Impossible.

What Nigun was seeing was impossible. Such incomprehensible power…

"This… Cannot be…! Y-you… You can't exist-!?" Nigun started looking left and right, hoping that he would wake up already or someone would tell him this was all just one huge prank. He was sweaty all over, and was beginning to lose grasp over the situation. After all, the entire might of the sunlight scripture had been crushed so easily. To a proud man like him, it was as good as any killing blow.

Open laughter broke out across the clearing. To everyone's surprise, the source was…

"Hahahahaha! I cannot believe this! The mighty Sunlight Scripture, the pride of the Theocracy's precious Six Gods, reduced to _this_! Who could have possibly imagined that such fearsome warriors really existed?" Gazef's laughter was light compared to the situation, to the point it drove Nigun desperate. However… When Gazef straightened and met his gaze, Nigun understood.

That was the gaze… Of a man who knew he was victorious.

"It looks like you finally understand. However, it is far too late for you now." Momonga said darkly, as all of them stepped forwards again. "Now then… Here we go."

The four of them started advancing, right towards Nigun.

His subordinates, when they realized that the Angels were useless, switched their tactics. Overcome by despair, they started casting one after another all of the spells that they were proficient in. From offensive magic like [Hammer of Justice] or [Sacred Beam], to strong curses such as [Poison] or [Fear].

However, towards the three main targets who were the members of Ainz Ooal Gown, all of the spells proved ineffective. One of the summoners even tried to hurl an iron ball at Momonga, but it was swatted aside like a fly by the black-armoured fighter, only to find its way back and crush the one who had launched it.

The fear in Nigun's hear became all-consuming. There was no escape from these demons. There was nothing he could do to stop their advance. This and countless other negative thoughts raced through his mind, blocking out his ability to think straight.

"P-Principality of Observation! Come! Protect me!" As if woken by his will, the Angel that had remained stationary for the whole battle suddenly moved. Four large wings spread from its back, as it took its warhammer and shield and descended from Nigun's position, calmly advancing towards the enemies in a stark contrast to his own distress.

The reason Nigun hadn't moved his angel yet was because the Principality of Observation increased the defensive abilities of all forces within line of sight as long as it remained stationary. However, since it was the only angel left and Nigun was at his wit's end, there was no longer any purpose in using such a skill.

Still, even if Nigun's Principality of Observation possessed extremely strong defensive capabilities, and was further strengthened by his own innate talent…

-It was, in the end, futile.

"[ **Hellfire** ]."

There was not even a quip from Momonga. He simply called the name of his spell, and the tiny flame that shot out from his hand consumed the pristine angel in a hellish wave of black flame that burned so bright it forced Nigun to look away. After it was cast… Not even ashes remained.

"A-Aah…" Nigun backed away from the advancing four, who looked down at him emotionlessly. However… At the moment that his heart was most fearful, his hand reached out and found the crystal that he'd been given by the archbishops.

In an instant, his eyes brightened.

 _That's right… I still have that left…!_ "Everyone, buy me some time! If you want to live, become my shield until I summon the strongest angel!" As Nigun said this, he took out the shining crystal that contained the strongest angel in the Slane Theocracy. With this, they would surely lay waste to the enemy, no matter how strong they were.

"The strongest angel…!?" Both Herohero and Momonga reacted with worry as they heard Nigun's claim. The two of them were easily able to protect Gazef against enemies of this caliber, but if something like a Seraph appeared… "Momonga-san, can you handle this?" The guildmaster simply nodded to his friend's question, having thought a similar plan as well.

"If it's something like a Seraph Empyrean, I'll teleport Stronoff-san as soon as it is summoned." Enemies of the Angel-type were particularly troublesome, because they could project an anti-teleport zone through a magic spell that prevented easy disengagements. An angel of the seraph type would have no trouble hunting down Gazef if they didn't take decisive action to protect him.

The crystal in Nigan's hands surged with light. It broke apart as the magic within unveiled, spreading outwards in coruscating arcs that pulsed across the land. As the spell manifested itself, the grasslands were dyed with a white splendour as a fresh fragrance was set within the air. The sky was coated with a platinum light, blanketing the battlefield in its ethereal glow.

The creature that was called forth then, was undoubtedly beautiful. With flowing wings and feather-clad robes of silver, it carried golden tablets that were etched with the symbols of royalty. It was an incredibly charming being of good, that caused all of the magicians to erupt in cheers as it manifested itself. The highest-ranked in the Slane Theocracy. That was-

"Behold! The form of the highest-ranked Angel, the Dominion of Authority!" Nigun laughed openly, crying in delirious joy as he saw the great angel's magnificent presence. He laughed, because his time of despair was finally over- Now it was Momonga and the rest of Ainz Ooal Gown who would suffer from the wrath of the heavens.

However…

Instead of the terror that he expected, the reaction of his opponents was-

"Pfffft… N-No way, that's the strongest angel… Oh no, I'm gonna laugh, I can't believe it… Hahahahahaha!" Herohero squirmed as if he couldn't control himself, even normally composed as he was he simply couldn't stomach the hilarity of the situation. Momonga was simply sighing, feeling disappointment in his heart when he'd been expecting a real challenge.

After all… The Dominion of Authority, the being that Nigun believed to be the strongest angel in existence… Was nothing more than a Level 55 trash mob. Even one of the Pleiades would be enough to kill it, albeit with some effort.

"Y-You! Even in front of the highest ranked Angel, you put up this attitude…!" Nigun screamed, looking on in disbelief. He couldn't believe the contempt in their voices. His rational mind was simply unable to understand the arrogance that coated their words. Against an angel that was stronger than any human, they should have been quaking in their boots…!

He ground his teeth. _I've had enough of them… I'll kill them all!_ "Dominion of Authority, destroy them! Annihiliate them with your [Holy Smite]!" He called out to the heavens, and in reaction to his words the Dominion of Authority started to spread its wings, as the tablets in its body dissolved in order to activate its spell.

-At that moment.

Nigun noticed it… That there was a blurry figure leaping through the air straight towards the Angel. With wide eyes, he stared back at the ground… Only to blink as he realized who was gone. _Wh-where is the man who fought with his fists?_

When he thought that…

-A sound that he would remember for the rest of his life, echoed through his ears.

Nigun looked up. He simply stared at the sight his eyes were showing him, looking but unable to understand until his mind finally snapped into place and he realized what was happening.

-Then, he screamed.

The Dominion of Authority that towered over men… The figure of supreme good that was said to be untouchable and invincible, which had even struck down a Demon God with its almighty holy spell of the 7th Tier. That omnipotent creature… Was screaming, as the man from Ainz Ooal Gown bound its arms and crushed its torso beneath his unfathomable grip.

"NO. This has gone on for long enough!" Herohero's voice boomed across the battlefield, as he used his grappling skill to pull at the Dominion of Authority and sling it through the air. "I'm ending this… Now! [ **Megaton Press** ]!"

Nigun could only watch as the Level 100 Wrestler spun with the Dominion in the air and swung it around like a puppet with its strings cut… Just to suddenly spike downwards and slam it against the ground with the full meteoric force behind their entire body. The earth itself quaked from the result of Herohero's special skill, as clouds of dust erupted from the epicenter of the impact.

Nigun fell to his knees, simply staring at the cloud of dust. His eyes looked dead, as if he no longer understood his own circumstances. He vaguely saw his own subordinates fall in similar way, but couldn't afford to care. He only reacted when the cloud of dust was blown away by a powerful gust, temporarily revealing the prone body of the Dominion of Authority… Before it shattered into countless balls of light and dissolved from the material plane forever.

When several pairs of legs appeared before his vision, he finally looked upwards with the same empty gaze… Revealing the forms of Momonga, Herohero, Gazef and Albedo. None of which looked amused.

Herohero cracked his knuckles, smiling darkly. "First, we're going to let the villagers give you a good schooling. Then, I'm going to have you apologize with all of your soul towards the villagers you caused so much pain to. Finally, before Gazef personally puts you in chains and drags you before the king to pay for the lives you've taken…" He grew quiet, and nodded at his comrade.

The magic caster knelt before the trembling Nigun, and gripped his head with one of his massive, gloved hands. Staring at those expressionless eyes, Nigun thought that he could see the crimson hellfire of a demon burning inside the monster's mask. "...You're going to answer a lot of questions."

At that moment, Nigun truly knew despair.

For he knew that his blunder had not just cost him his freedom and his faith… It might just have cost him his soul.

* * *

 **2nd Battle for Carne Village**

 **Attacking Forces:**

Sunlight Scripture

-Nigun Grid Luin

-40 Mages

-1 Dominion of Authority

-1 Principality of Observation

-40 Archangel Flames

 **Defending Forces:**

Ainz Ooal Gown

-Momonga

-Albedo

-Herohero

Re-Estize Kingdom

-Gazef Stronoff

 **Results**

 **-** 2 Mages KIA

-18 Mages 'missing'

-20 Mages captured

-Nigun captured

 **Conclusion**

Decisive victory for Ainz Ooal Gown

 **Next:** _Homecoming_


	6. Homecoming

**Author Notes:**

 **If you haven't read the latest releases of the Overlord translation, skip these notes. They have spoilers. You have been warned.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **So, just to make one thing I stated last chapter clear: Albedo, in the canon timeline DOES in fact hate the Supreme Beings. It's not explicitly stated but as of the Blu-Ray Special Story it has been so heavily implied to the degree of obviousness. No sooner does Ainz leave her alone in her room, she immediately takes the AOG banner that was there and rips it to pieces while insulting the rest of the guild mates. She literally calls them pieces of shit.**

 **However, in this timeline there's no guarantee her character will develop that way. The point of divergence and the alterations to the world are placed so early that even the social dynamics in Nazarick might play out in ways far different from canon. Just saying to keep that in mind, because otherwise you'd have to be wondering why Albedo isn't plotting how to kill Herohero from the first moment he showed his overworked ass in the story.**

 **OK, rant over. Here's the next chapter.**

 **Chapter 7:** Homecoming

While Herohero and Momonga were busy dealing with the affairs of Carne Village in the overworld, an uproar of different sorts was taking place in the depths of the Great Tomb of Nazarick…

"SEBAS-SAMA, IS IT TRUE!?" The Butler of Steel paused when he heard the screaming chorus approaching him, and stoically turned to greet the one who'd called him… Before he was almost toppled over by the crowd of maids that were almost tripping over themselves to reach him.

"Sebas-sama, has our Lord really met with our creator, Herohero-sama!?" Out of the seven maids that surrounded him, the one to ask the question was a beautiful black-haired maid, who had clasped her hands together as she gazed at the stone-faced butler with stars in her emerald eyes. Sebas knew her as Laplace, one of the non-combat maids in the service of the Supreme Beings- as well as one of Herohero's personal creations, designed with the help of Whitebrim and Coup de Grace.

According to her settings, Laplace was a normally 'cool' woman that carefully planned over her sisters' schedules and acted as if any possible oversight was actually within her calculations, staying true to the source of her name.

However, right now her attitude was indistinguishable from the rest of the giddy maids. The intensity with which she gazed at the Butler of Steel was enough to melt ice, it could even be compared to that of a crying puppy.

"Yes, you are correct." Sebas answered, without batting an eye or even flinching away when a chorus of high-pitched squeals were roused by his answer, loud enough to make the ground under his feet tremble from the vibrations. He simply stared warmly at the maids as they cheered together, inwardly recalling how the news had gotten around in the first place.

It had been innocuous enough. After he finished relaying Momonga's orders to Albedo and she had assumed command over the Guardians, he had been approached by one of the Pleiades who was curious about what had happened.

The girl in question had been Lupusregina Beta, one of the biggest troublemakers in Nazarick and in hindsight the worst possible person that could've asked Sebas Tian.

The moment he'd revealed to her that the reason for Momonga's hurry was that he had located the Supreme Being Herohero, her eyes had lit up like she had scored the Jackpot on a slots machine. Sebas wasn't even able to advise her to be discreet when she fled using a spell, giggling like a hyena all the way through.

In the next few hours, it seemed as if the entire Tomb was in chaos as the news of the return of one of the Supreme Beings had spread around. When he had summoned the Pleiades, it seemed as if they were discussing the best way to organize a welcoming party for Herohero, and coming up with ideas to suggest to the Guardians.

Their ideas had ranged from the comprehensible, such as a formal greeting in the 10th floor where every Guardian renewed their vows to the Supreme Beings, to rather outlandish ones such as using the 7th Floor's volcanoes together with high-level magic to stage a massive display of fireworks.

It had fallen on Sebas to remind them that however joyous the return of another Supreme Being was, whatever ceremonies would be done for his sake would likely be determined by Momonga, as he was the only one who stood in a comparable station to Herohero. That seemed to pacify the more involved of the maids, who ceased their plotting in favor of mere gossip.

"Nee-chan, you were right after all! Herohero-sama is really returning… Waaaah!" Sebas watched as another of the maids, a young brunette this time buried her face on Laplace's chest, cheeks considerably moist with recently shed tears.

"O-of course, Latte! I had already predicted Herohero-sama would return to us!" Laplace answered, puffing her cheeks arrogantly even as her quivering arms wrapped around the petite maid and pulled her closer. Even though she tried to keep a calm face, anyone could see the way that the unshed tears on her eyes were threatening to fall as well.

The sight of it warmed Sebas' heart. Sebas knew that the whole purpose of the residents of Nazarick was to serve the Supreme Beings. They owed their entire existence to them- Their creators, their gods.

Even if a particular Supreme Being wasn't their maker, every person in Nazarick would not have been born had the 41 Rulers of Ainz Ooal Gown not raised the Great Tomb from the pitiful ruins they once were.

However, he understood that there was a special connection between the Guardians and their creators. There was a certain spark that bound them, something special that resonated within their souls when they were in the vicinity of their maker. As a Guardian, Sebas felt indescribable joy in serving Momonga, the Supreme Being that had remained with them even to the very end, when all others had gone.

-But he still missed his creator. The times he had spent with Touch Me had been few, but to him each and every one of them had been precious. The recollections he held of his kind, selfless creator were kept deep within his steel-clad heart, unfading in their clarity.

"...U-um, girls! Does anyone remember Herohero-sama's favorite food? We should it make it for him when he comes back!" Another maid's timid statement was quickly drowned by the chorus of voices that followed her question, and most of the maids started fleeing towards the direction of the kitchens.

"Sebas-sama!" Laplace, who had stayed behind for a moment, bowed deeply towards the butler. "Thank you very much for answering our selfish question!"

"-Ah? It is no problem. The return of Herohero-sama is a joyous event, after all." His steadfast reply caused Laplace's to brighten, and after a final thanks she escaped in the direction of the other maids.

Sebas quietly stared at their retreating backs.

 _I am but a lowly servant of the Supreme Beings. However, if I were allowed to hope…_ For a brief moment, Sebas looked up at the tall ceiling of the 9th Floor, deep in concentration.

It was but a tiny moment of tenderness. But, right then-

-Deep within his mind, the Butler of Steel recited the prayer for a wish. That one day, that same happiness could be given to…

Sebas shook his head, breaking out of his reverie. However significant that encounter had been, he still had work to do. After all, he had recently received a message from Albedo that Momonga would be shortly making his return with Herohero. With the same controlled pace, the butler left the hallways of the Royal Suite and left towards the Throne Room.

There were preparations to be done, after all.

* * *

Later that evening...

"Thank you for everything you've done for us!" Herohero awkwardly scratched his head as what felt like the millionth villager thus far bowed their heads to him.

"Please, I just did what anyone would have done. There really is no need to thank me…" Herohero awkwardly tried to excuse himself from the villager, but if anything his modesty only seemed to make the villagers more grateful.

" _Looks like they really like us, right Herohero-san…?_ " Momonga complained through a sulky message. Turning towards him, Herohero had to stifle the laughter when he saw that children had approached Momonga and were crowded around him.

"Wooow… Momonga-sama is huge!" One of the kids exclaimed, throwing up his arms that barely reached the calf area of the over two meters tall Momonga. "If I drink a lot of milk, can I grow as tall as Momonga-sama!?"

"Idiot!" A short girl with a bob cut smacked the kid over the head with a pout, before looking up at Momonga with stars in her eyes. "Momonga-sama is tall because he's a hero! There's no way you could be as awesome as him!"

"Well, yeah…" The kid shrugged as if it was obvious. "But if I train really hard, maybe I could get to be half as awesome!" As if impulsed by the idea, the kid grabbed at the edge of Momonga's robes. "What do you think, Momonga-sama!?"

Momonga who was about to give an awkward answer hesitated when he felt a dark aura to his side. He turned only to almost jump from shock when he saw that Albedo was squirming inside her armor, her eyes positively burning with malicious intent.

"Those… lower lifeforms… dare compare themselves to... Momonga-sama…!?" Unnoticed by the oblivious children, Momonga saw that Albedo was reaching towards her axe with quivering fingers. His teeth chattered, as he tried to regain his composure in order to stop her-

"Hi there guys!" Faster than a bird in flight, Herohero knelt before the children with a perfectly controlled smile on his face. "Who wants to play with Ham-chan this time around?" Herohero pointed towards the beast currently frolicking in the grass, whose eyes twitched as it started in horror at its master's words.

"Yaaaaaay!" The crowd children quickly departed from the player towards the trembling monster, who was promptly swarmed by a pile of uncontrollable kids.

"Alright, looks like we dodged that bullet…" Herohero sighed in relief, before turning towards the Overseer Guardian with narrowed eyes. "Albedo, please control yourself. They are just children, after all." Though his voice was only mild as he scolded her, he was inwardly seething. _What the hell is wrong with her!? Is this… is this because Tabula-san made her evil?_

"But-!"

"Albedo… Do as he says." Momonga answered wearily, eyes still looking blank as he watched the children play. He'd spent so much time talking with Herohero, that he had forgotten that the player's attitude was far from being the normal of that of the rest of Nazarick.

"-Yes, Momonga-sama. Forgive my impudence. But, for the greatest of the Supreme Beings as well as the man I love…" Placing a hand on her cheek, completely unaware of the way that Herohero had reacted at her words. "... To be used in comparison by mere insects, it's too much of an insult!"

" _Momonga-san? Why is Albedo confessing to you like this was a cheesy light novel?"_

" _Right. I can explain that."_

" _Momonga-san, does this have anything to do with the reason you're also using our guild item out in the open air?"_

" _Right. I can explain that too."_

" _...You didn't leave everyone acting like this alone in Nazarick, did you?"_

" _Right._ _ **Please forgive me!**_ _"_ After being mentally walloped by Herohero, Momonga performed a dogeza in his head.

"...Alright." Herohero sighed. "Is there anything else we need to do over here, Momonga-san?" Herohero looked at the village, seeing that most of the villagers were retreating to their homes. The only left were those who had lingered behind to see them off or were curious to see what they would do next. "I could stay to make sure they're safe, but they should be okay from now on…"

"Indeed. If the Slane Theocracy were to take any further action, it's likely that they will no longer attack Carne Village. Their next target, should most likely be…" Momonga began, thinking back to the ones who had been ultimately responsible for the attack on the village.

"-Yeah. They'll probably try to take Nigun from Stronoff-san's hands." Herohero completed Momonga's words, as if he were reading his mind. _Well, we blocked Information Magic using an anti-scry spell, but considering that the Theocracy was scrying Nigun during our battle, they'll probably try to smoke Gazef out at some point during his march to the capital. I just hope he does okay..._

The events that had followed Nigun's arrest had been… Interesting, to say the least. In order to make the interrogation faster, Momonga had used a Charm spell in order to make Nigun tell them everything he knew about the mission.

Gazef had been unsurprised to hear that the nobles of his own kingdom had been involved in the attempt on his life. If anything, he seemed relieved that it might serve as evidence to make the nobles a little quieter in their illicit affairs. The knowledge of the Scriptures had been of more relevance to Herohero and Momonga, who were especially curious towards the 'divine artifacts' that the members of the scriptures were said to use.

Further prodding of Nigun over those details had revealed some disturbing details. Apparently, what the Black Scripture was hunting was a possible resurrected Dragon Lord, which sounded like all kinds of bad news to the players. However, the 'divine artifacts' that the Scripture was said to wield resembled the items of YGGDRASIL, to the point that both of them were certain that they had belonged to players at some point. Players who, for some reason, had disappeared from the face of the planet.

Initially Nigun's knowledge, while valuable did not seem that impressive. However, upon extracting more information from him Momonga realized that there was something mysterious about the Slane Theocracy. After Gazef was done asking the questions he was interested, he left the room and allowed them to carry out their own session of '20 questions'.

Momonga and Herohero's questions were fairly innocuous- They mostly concerned about daily life in the Slane Theocracy, about culture, social cues, sports, the economy and even children's toys. What those answers revealed, however, was anything but.

Many of the sports the Slane Theocracy practiced were familiar to them. The most popular sport, which was only played on the capital and a few other large cities in the Theocracy consisted of teams that took turns switching between two roles centered around striking and catching a ball. It was essentially, barring a few strange changes, baseball- One of Japan's most popular sports.

That wasn't just it. There was a lot of terminology and devices that weren't lost on the both of them. That the most popular toy around was a Rubix's Cube, of all things, was such a blatant detail that anyone who asked for a basic description could have noticed it. These and other details cemented in Herohero and Momonga's minds the fact that they weren't the only players who had been transported into this world.

However, for all the worth that this revelation had, it was also slightly disheartening in one aspect.

-All of these artifacts and ideas stemmed from the 'Age of the Gods', a term used by the Theocracy to describe the time when their Gods (which were pretty much guaranteed players in both of their heads by that point) walked the planet… At least **six** hundred years ago.

The possibilites that emerged from that knowledge were deeply unsettling to the two players who were hoping to meet the rest of their guild.

Still, Momonga thought that it was reason for hope. If players had affected the world that much, then the possibilities of finding other members of Ainz Ooal Gown was not zero. Even if the timeframes could be distant, considering Herohero's circumstances it was probable- Even likely that they would run into the others at some point or another.

The rest of the knowledge they'd managed to get from Nigun was negligible, but useful. There was important information on the Magic system (which behaved almost perfectly like a clone of YGGDRASIL's with a few exceptions), Magic Items as well as Martial Arts and [Innate Talents], the latter of two had not existed in YGGDRASIL.

The final piece of interesting knowledge they had obtained, however, was more related to themselves than to the world itself. After asking some questions pertaining to Nigun's own strength, as well as that of the Angel he had summoned, the two players had come to an actual conclusion-

-That being that they were far, far stronger than most beings on this planet.

7th Tier magic was considered legendary spellcraft, and only the Theocracy could cast it through large-scale rituals. By comparison, spells of the 7th level were considered sub-par or even useless in battles between Level 100 Players, barring a few classic exceptions. The normal was casting 8th tier magic or higher in order to do any significant damage to an opponent.

To Momonga and Herohero, this was good news. It meant that they could afford to hold back a little when going out, and they wouldn't have to look over their shoulder at every single point to prevent being killed. They didn't know if resurrection was as trivial as it was in the game, after all. The instinctual fear of death lingered, even if they were immune to the emotion itself.

Still, it was a lot of knowledge to take in all of a sudden…

-Herohero sighed. "What a day, right Momonga-san? But you know what?" Turning to his friend, Herohero chuckled while smiling wryly. "At least I don't have to wake up to go to work tomorrow."

 _Mm, yeah. Between fighting killer angels or doing Herohero-san's job, I think the choice would be obvious…_ Momonga mocked inwardly, remembering how Herohero had said that he had two sleeping bags he took to his job to stay the weeks over.

"Momonga-dono, Herohero-dono… And Albedo-dono as well." Gazef's voice rang out as the warrior approached them, holding the reins of his horse with one hand. "We found most of the mages that were missing in the fight after running away. Surprisingly, they were all lying in the same place…" As he scratched his face in confusion, he didn't notice the awkward look that the two players exchanged.

"Anyways, I wanted to say we're ready to depart with the prisoners. Also... " Gazef got close to them, and offered his free hand in a gesture of friendship. "I wanted to thank you again, for everything you've done. You haven't just saved my life, but that of all the villagers in this place. I am forever in your debt."

Albedo ignored him, but both Momonga and Herohero reacted to his words positively. Herohero stepped forwards and firmly shook hands with Gazef, holding back so as to not crush his arm.

"I hope the people of the capital are as respectable as you, Stronoff-san." Said Herohero, to which Gazef replied with only a bitter smile. "-When we visit, we'll make sure to stop by your place."

"Please do." Answered Gazef warmly. Herohero's eyes fell on Gazef's hand, and the sparkling ring on his finger. "We will recieve you as best as we possibly can."

"-It is indeed late." Momonga said, after he had shaken Gazef's hand as well. "We will start making our leave as well, Stronoff-san. Then, please take care of Nigun and the other prisoners. That they face justice is important to us, as well."

" _Momonga-sama."_ Albedo's smooth voice interrupted Momonga as he spoke. " _Shall I send a cloaked unit to escort Gazef Stronoff and the prisoners to the capital? If justice is your desire, then-"_

" _Negative, Albedo. I will praise you for your attentiveness-"_ Momonga ignored the squeal that emerged from the armoured warrior at his side, continuing without pausing. "- _But I do not want to attract so much attention from the Slane Theocracy just yet. It is possible that the Black Scripture might become a threat to Nazarick in the future._ "

"... _Understood_ , _Momonga-sama_!"

Having cleared things with Albedo, Momonga looked up to realize that Gazef was already on his horse and making his way out of the village. He looked at Herohero, who was gazing at the distance.

"He really is a good person, isn't he?" Herohero crossed his arms, watching as Gazef's back faded into the night. "He kind of feels like those knights from medieval movies. I didn't think someone like him existed, so it really shocks you when you see it, right?"

"...Yeah." Momonga had to admit even he was impressed. Men like Gazef were far and few in between, even in their own world. He had taken their display of power not with fear but with humble acceptance, and hadn't really treated them differently despite it. He had been ready to face death, and now he was ready to risk his life once more while carrying an exceedingly dangerous target.

"...It should be about time." Herohero sighed, drawing Momonga's confusion. "Momonga-san… You said that you were brought back with the rest of Nazarick and the NPCs, right?" At Momonga's nod, Herohero started to behave rather strangely. He scratched his cheek, not saying anything as he let the question linger in the air.

"...What did you want to ask, Herohero-san?" Momonga was starting to get worried, when...

"Ah… This is… How is it like? Is everything, you know, real?" Upon Momonga's confused silence, Herohero continued. "I mean, like this village. Like the grass, and the sky, and everything else-"

"Ah." Momonga said. He understood what Herohero meant. Of course, YGGDRASIL's graphic engine didn't perfectly emulate real life. As detailed as it could be, the world was still made of polygons and the way it restricted the senses meant it always had that artificial feeling. Even the Tomb of Nazarick, for all of its beauty was still a virtual image painted on a video game as its canvas.

At Herohero's curiosity, Momonga felt a strange feeling of pride rise in his body. He had been the first to witness the new Nazarick- The REAL one, that was for all intents and purposes the materialization of their friends' dreams and goals throughout 12 years of playing. He had been the one to preserve it, to keep it safe for the sake of his friends-

-Now, he was going to be the first to show it to them, all over again.

"It… Is beautiful, Herohero-san. All of it." Momonga said. If he had lips, he would have smiled. "I'm sure of it. When you see the Nazarick that we created in this world… You'll fall in love with YGGDRASIL all over again."

It was not a statement, but a promise. To the curious Herohero, Momonga vowed that he would show him the best of the guild that he had fought to preserve.

 _All of it…!? Then… M-Momonga said I'm beautiful too!_ Albedo started breathing so loudly that Momonga started feeling chills all over his body. She approached him and grabbed at his arm with such strength that Momonga had to resist not to tumble forwards.

"M-Momonga-sama… I think you're incredibly handsome as well!" Albedo squealed, her golden eyes burning through her helmet.

Suddenly he didn't feel so sure anymore.

* * *

The Throne Room had been filled to an unprecedented degree in order to host the return of the Supreme Beings.

Almost everyone of the most important NPCs were there. All of the guardians excepting the floor guardians of the 4th and 8th stood at the front, and with them they had brought some of their hand-picked servants. They included Demiurge's demon lords, Shalltear's most beautiful vampire brides, several dragonkin under the service of Aura and Mare and many others.

Both Sebas and the Pleiades were there, alongside the homunculus maids whose duties had been suspended for the duration of the important ceremony, especially considering a large number of them were personal creations of Herohero. That section of the Throne Room was by far the one with the most intense chatter, as the maids speculated on what words their ruler would say to welcome a fellow Supreme Being.

"Albedo-sama told me that Herohero-sama went and took a God as his pet, su~!" Lupusregina giggled from her position in the Pleiades, and turned towards one of her sisters with a suggestive look. Blinking her honey-coloured eyes suggestively, she continued in a high-pitched voice. "So she told me what it looks like, and apparently it looks cute and round! Fluffy, puffy and adoraboofy! Aren't you excited, Shizu-chan?"

"Adoraboofy? ...Uwaah." The android intoned emotionlessly, but the light in her eyes seemed to suddenly flare with an intense glow.

"Lupusregina… Is it really necessary to excite Shizu any more than the crowd already is?" Yuri stated, rubbing at her temples in frustration. However, perhaps due to the anticipation building in the room her words were less scathing than they normally were. "Though I am curious as to what Herohero-sama has happened into during his travels."

"Perhaps he was busy eating?" Solution asked, brushing away her blonde curls to tap at her cheek in wonder. "Momonga-sama found him in a human village, did he not?"

"Is it fine for a Supreme Being to eat something lower than an insect in value?" Narberal frowned, finding the theory acceptable yet confusing. "Surely they deserve nothing but the greatest of feasts…"

"Why Narberal-chan, humans are delicious. They're great fresh, but they are also wonderful if you spice them, or fry them…" Entoma countered Narberal's words, getting the words out even though her mouth didn't move.

"And for slimes such as us, most creatures are good!" Solution sighed happily, closing her eyes as she continued. "However, Entoma is right. Humans are definitely the most precious treat. I'm sure Herohero-sama was having a wonderful feast."

"He was not." The Pleiades collectively turned towards Sebas, who had remained quiet for the whole conversation. However, the steel-faced man who had been staring at Momonga as he prepared to speak had finally turned to address them.

"Ah… You have seen Herohero-sama already, Sebas-sama?" It was Narberal who asked, tilting her head with a curious gaze.

"I was with Momonga-sama when we found him. Herohero-san was not eating the humans, but protecting them from other humans." His answer drew a collective gasp from most of the maids, barring Yuri who simply nodded in understanding and Shizu who did not react at all.

"B-but why would he do such a thing?" Solution muttered in confusion. "Those humans are just food, what point is there in-"

"Solution, are you questioning the decision of a Supreme Being?" Yuri voiced sternly, causing the other maid to shrink back and apologize. "He must have had his reasons. Furthermore, from other humans… Was it war, Sebas-sama?"

"That seems to be the most likely case. Momonga-sama will likely inform us at some point or another. Regardless it is not our purpose to analyze the reasons behind the Supreme Beings' actions, only to serve them as they will." His answer was received with nods from the Pleiades. Suddenly, a loud noise startled them and caused Sebas to look up.

"It has started."

The source of the sound had been the staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, which Momonga had slammed on the ground to summon the attention of the Guardians in the Throne Room.

"Everyone." Momonga began, and absolute silence reigned in the Throne Room. At his side Albedo quickly scanned the guardians for any straggling conversations, then gave him a satisfied nod.

"Today is a joyous day for Nazarick. I am sure many of you are still confused as to why I have called you here at such a time, and I apologize if I interrupted anything important. However, I believed that this announcement was of crucial importance towards everyone." Pausing to make sure everyone received his words, Momonga grabbed the staff and raised it to the air.

"[ **Perfect Image** ]."

He casted the highest-level visual illusion spell, and the light at the ceiling of the Throne Room shifted. Over the 41 banners of all Ainz Ooal Gown members, coloured silhouettes appeared. The shadow-clad bodies resembled the forms of the avatars of all his friends, only that the murky shadows that clouded them prevented them from being visible in full detail. The only one who was lit was his own avatar.

"As you should already know, the Great Tomb of Nazarick was by means unknown transported to a different world. Who or what caused this, is beyond even my knowledge. The world of Helheim that existed outside this Tomb is no longer within our reach, and this new world is a mysterious and foreign place we could tell little about… Until recently."

He watched the crowd, waiting for any signs of complaints or questions. However, the silence was absolute as everyone listened to Momonga's words. The silence was so absolute you could hear a pin drop.

Satisfied, he continued. "As I was scrying the surroundings in order to ascertain this world's threats, something occurred. I do not know whether to call it simple luck, or if it was the hand of fate itself. However, it has happened nonetheless. The event that I have gathered you all here for, to announce!"

Feeling a faint giddiness as his speech continued, Momonga grew more passionate. "Denizens of Nazarick! I will now announce the miracle that has graced our Tomb!" Momonga raised his staff higher to the air, his voice growing more intense by the second. "This world that has thrown us into disarray, has also blessed us! For the providence that has come, is one in a million!"

The emboldened Momonga swung his staff, producing a wave of illusory flame that coursed through the air… And impacted against one of the silhouettes atop the banners. Slowly, the shadows that concealed it were burnt away by the burning flames… Revealing the figure of the Elder Black Ooze that stood there.

"One of my comrades- One of your creators has returned! Herohero, who was worlds away, has returned to us! The one who was once gone will shortly walk upon our halls! Now, Guardians of Nazarick!" Momonga spread out his arms, and with his powerful voice directed himself to the whole room with an absolute command. "Rejoice, for your ruler has returned!"

For a second, there was silence-

-And the next instant, the cheers were deafening. It was a chorus of voices humanoid and monstrous alike, of all pitches and of every intensity, ringing out in a mad cacophony of pure jubilation.

"Praise be to Ainz Ooal Gown! Praise be to the Supreme Beings! For they are greatest beings on the universe! The most just and powerful! Long live Momonga-sama! Long live Herohero-sama!" The chorus of joyful voices continued for several minutes, until finally Momonga held his hand in a gesture of silence. Shortly, everyone quieted down.

"Then, I will make my next announcements. In light of these recent events, I have decided the role that everyone will take on from now on. Ainz Ooal Gown, and the Great Tomb of Nazarick itself will embark to realize this one absolute goal! Failing it is not a possibility! It will definitely be achieved!"

With that announcement, Momonga once again slammed the staff of Ainz Ooal Gown on the high ground of his throne. A shockwave of illusory spread from it, blanketing the entire room before it manifested its effects.

-Soon, everyone noticed it. Above all the shadowclad silhouettes, dancing lights of all colours flickered in the air. The way they danced and glimmered was giddy, hopeful even. Fitting, considering the announcement that Momonga would make next.

"Then, I shall state it. The goal that everyone must accept-" Momonga raised his staff towards the air, and the lights around the banners burst into brightly glowing light that seemed to eat away at the shadows. "-To restore the full might of Ainz Ooal Gown, and take it to unprecedented heights! My friends! My comrades that have been lost among the Nine Worlds! One day, they shall return to this Tomb!"

Using his free hand, Momonga raised it into the air and clenched his fist. " **We will regain what is lost! Everything that belongs to Ainz Ooal Gown will return to its rightful place! No matter the distance we may have to cross, or the enemies that we might have to face! If a stronger enemy appears, we will overcome it through other means! Forty-One Supreme Beings dwelled in this Tomb, and Forty-One there shall be once more!** "

Momonga paused. The echoes of his announcement echoed through everyone's bodies, the strength of his words surpassed any that he had said before. Calmly watching as his words reached everyone's ears, he slowly released his fist…

" **Swear on this. Glory to Ainz Ooal Gown!** "

...And brought it down on the armrests of his throne, making a deafening sound as his speech finally came to an end.

-At that moment.

The cheers that broke out, surpassed all possible imagination. More compelling than any politician, inflamed with more passion than any religion, the cries of the Great Tomb of Nazarick echoed with the power that only absolute devotion could inspire.

"We are your tools, Supreme One! For the Supreme Beings, even our lives are a pittance to sacrifice!" Shalltear announced, her voice full of reverence and adulation as her eyes hardened with determination.

"We are eternal servants to the Supreme Beings. To those who gave us life, we will offer everything in return." Sebas stated, closing his eyes as satisfaction was set in his heart.

"Ooooh! Even if my body were to waste away, I will crush anyone who opposes you! To the enemies of Ainz Ooal Gown, there can be no mercy!" Cocytus boomed, cold gusts surging from his body.

"In all of the worlds, there will be no one who will stop you, Supreme One. Even the stars will return to their rightful place if voiced by your will!" Demiurge voiced, a wide smile on his face.

"To our rulers across the universe, we swear eternal loyalty!" Mare and Aura voiced at the same time, their eyes sparkling as they beheld the magnificent figure of Momonga.

"-And to the one who will bring them back, our savior! Our immortal master that is most powerful in this universe! To you, we pledge everything!" Albedo fell to her knees besides Momonga, praising him with all of her heart.

" **Glory to Ainz Ooal Gown! Glory to the Supreme Beings! Ainz Ooal Gown! Ainz Ooal Gown! Ainz Ooal Gown!** "

Like a calling of the divine, Momonga's promise to all of creation scattered across the four winds. Though it took place in only a single room, its effects would shake an entire world…

...In ways that no one could have ever concieved.

* * *

It took some time for things to settle down. It wasn't until Momonga reminded everyone that there was still one last thing to go through that the Throne Room regained some semblance of order.

"Now then." Momonga said, in a softer voice this time. "This time, I would like for the maids that were created by Herohero to step towards the throne."

There was a short delay followed by the hasty shuffling of feet, until 9 different maids were standing near the base of the throne. All of them kept their eyes down, keeping their heads bowed as a sign of the utmost respect.

"There is a reason why you are necessary right now." He began, but almost immediately his words softened after what he next said. "After all, children should be the first to meet their progenitor."

He watched as all of them started, raising their heads in shock. " _It's alright now, Herohero-san."_ Momonga sent the message. " _You can come in now._ "

The guardians watched as the space between Momonga and the maids twisted, opening a ripple in space that finally folded to reveal the form of Herohero, as well as Hamsuke. Once again the player had un-equipped his gear, and looked the same unassuming slime as he had been since he had logged out from the game.

For a moment, there was silence. Herohero scanned the room, eyes growing wider and wider with wonder as he took in every detail. Eventually, his eyes met those of the disbelieving maids, and it was as if his body turned into a puppet with its strings cut.

As if in a trance, Herohero slowly raised one of his noodly arms in what he tried his hardest to turn into a friendly gesture. "Hi there."

"HEROHERO-SAMA!" He didn't even have time to react before he was buried in a pile of frills and lace. Momonga watched with awe as the level 1 maids dogpiled the slime, pressing so tightly that Herohero's slime anatomy was starting to look more like an abstract painting.

"I-idiot! Why didn't you tell us that you were leaving? If you had I would've..." Herohero looked at the one who said that, a red-haired maid with blue eyes that he'd designed with a tsundere personality and a love for battle manga. _Rie…_

"H-Herohero-sama, you liked scones a lot right? There's a whole lot of them in… Oh… I forgot to bring them!" A maid with very long green hair said, her sullen violet eyes downcast as she chided herself for her forgetfulness again. _Midori…_

"You kept us waiting, you know? But I'd seen it in my mind- I knew you would come back." He looked at the maid that stood over him, hands balled into fists at her hip as she pouted at him. _Laplace…_

"I'm sorry." Herohero said, a strange feeling welling up inside him. Reaching out with his flexible limbs, he pushed them away… Only to pull all of the maids on a tight embrace. "I-I didn't know, I…" Herohero closed his eyes, and thanked his slime biology for being unable to shed tears. "I promise. I won't ever leave you alone again."

 _They were just programs, weren't they? That's all they should've been, but…_ When the maids had cried out their welcome to him, he had remembered something. A memory from before he was Herohero, when he had just started to walk down the path of a programmer.

 _I wanted to create something lasting. Something beautiful, that I later could be proud of._ Herohero wondered when he had forgotten that dream. Had it been when he was first given the choice of starving to death or joining a notorious unethical company? Or had it been when the countless hours of dreamless sleep and sleepless dreams between periods of coding driven him to lose his passion for coding?

-But, at that moment. When Herohero saw the creations he'd worked blood and sweat out to create, all of them moving in such a life-like, _real_ way… Something that had been dead inside him was born anew.

For the first time in a long time, Herohero felt… Content.

" _I get it now._ " Momonga's head snapped up when he heard the incoming message. He stared at Herohero, who was still consoling the bawling maids. " _This was what you wanted to protect, right? Momonga-san... "_

" _Thank you."_ Herohero's words echoed through his mind, filled with emotion that he'd never seen from the man himself. " _For everything._ "

Momonga smiled.

"W-wah! Master, master!" Hamsuke desperately tried to call the attentions of Herohero, who was still comforting the maids. "This weird human is making me scared!"

Shizu, who had approached Hamsuke, stepped closer and closer. "Analyzing texture on target… Compiling related databases… Cross-referencing… Process complete. Conclusion: Fluffy. Poofy. Adoraboofy." With those last words, Shizu advanced the last few steps that separated her and Hamsuke and completely wrapped her arms around its big round head, capturing it in a vice-like grip. "Uwaah."

"Now, now, Shizu-chan~" Lupusregina giggled, seeing as the strange creature furiously tried to throw Shizu off to no avail. "Even if it's the cutest thing you've ever seen, you can't just steal Herohero-sama's pet!"

"Understood. Herohero-sama." Thrown off by her cold voice, Herohero was broken by his spell for long enough to look at the member of the Pleiades. "Unit CZ2128 DELTA requests to requisition Herohero-sama's pet for a time period no longer than 2 hours."

"Ah, uh, you mean Hamsuke? Yeah, no problem." Herohero replied, rather distracted by the fact one of the maids was tugging at his head so he'd focus back on them.

"Uwaah." The grip on Hamsuke's head got tighter.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH! MASTER!"

Momonga, who was staring at the strange antics with a nostalgic expression, was momentarily surprised when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his shoulders. His head turned slightly, and he saw that it was Albedo, leaning towards him with a normal smile on her face.

"Are you happy, Momonga-sama?"

"...Yeah."

Strangely enough, he didn't feel like throwing her off.

 _This feeling… I swear I'll bring them back. I'll make sure this scene repeats for each and every one of them. Peroroncino, Tabula Smaradigna, Bukubukuchagama, Warrior Takemikazuchi, Punitto Moe, Touch Me, Ulbert… Hell, even Luci Fer too. All of my friends… We'll meet each other again._

 _I can feel it._

* * *

 **Meanwhile, all across the world…**

"-And so, Sarina's intelligence magic was ineffective at capturing the conclusion of the Sunlight Scripture's efforts, Your Holiness. We have attempted to contact them, but all attempts to do so are unresponsive." The speaking figure knelt before a group of older men, keeping his head bowed as he related his report.

His clothes were jarring compared to this world's normal standards- They were too high-quality and stylish to be of commonplace craft, and the black and red metal bands that wrapped around his clothing seemed to pulse with magic power.

"...Is it truly possible to fully counter the intelligence magic of the 11th Seat of the Black Scripture?" One of the six figures spoke, a weary weight in his voice.

"It is entirely within the realm of possibility… If the enemy were to be say, a Dragon Lord." Another of the figures proposed, causing the rest to hum gravely.

"...We cannot discard the possibility. If the prophecy really has come true, then the resurrection of the Dragon Lord of Calamity has come far earlier than we expected." A third figure affirmed, and the others nodded in agreement.

"Very well. We will send the Black Scripture along with Kaire to the kingdom's borders. If that is indeed the area where the Dragon Lord will resurrect, then we need to respond with our full force without hesitation." A fourth figure urged, as the rest voice their consent.

"5th," Another one of them called.

"Yes, Your Holiness?" The kneeling man asked.

"Fetch Rouin. Tell him that it is time for the Black Scripture to move." The fifth archbishop commanded.

"-Yes, Your Holiness." The man stood and bowed, and deftly turned around to leave. His coat billowed as he moved towards the exit at a controlled pace.

"Oh, and 5th." The voice of the sixth and final archbishop called out, causing the young man to freeze. "We hold high hopes of you. Do not disappoint us as Clementine did."

Briefly, the man turned around. His crimson eyes gleamed like rubies, as he stared at the six archbishops. Very softly, he spoke.

"I am not like my sister."

-Then, he left.

* * *

" **OOOOoooooooOOOO!** " A speechless roar echoed through the dark dungeon, as a massive creature stirred from its slumber. Countless markings amongst its body glowed brightly, magic runes that fueled the mighty being's power. It slowly rose from the moss-filled grave of stone that had contained it, its iron body lumbering forward through the darkness as it searched for the one who had woken it.

"Ooooh? **This** isthe dungeon's guardian?" The construct's head shifted as it heard the male's arrogant voice, shortly followed by appreciative whistling that caused it to triangulate the intruder's location. "Looks like a High Iron Golem… That's got to be, what? Level 40, 50 tops. Still, they don't make them like this anymore."

The alchemical creation roared, crashing through worn pillars of stone with seemingly no effort as it bull-rushed everything in its path to reach the intruder. Its visual sensors quickly scanned the terrain for any life signs, and it raised two fists the size of elephants in preparation for an attack.

"I'm right here, trashcan!" The golem jerked backwards, tilting its body to look at the source of the voice. There, high on the building's ceiling was a living being, hanging from one of the supports. "Wow, that's one nasty face your mother gave you."

" **OOOOOOOOOOOO!** " Without hesitation, the Golem raged forwards, crushing boulders the size of houses as it tore its way towards the intruder that would defile the post it had been programmed to defend. It raised one of its gargantuan hands, that were capable of punching straight through a castle wall.

"Oh no, I'm gonna die! He's too strong- Nah I'm just fucking with you." Rising from the shadows, the man grinned. His hand first went for the sheathed falchion at his waist, but he hesitated and took the bow at his back instead. Brushing back his hair to take the shot, his bright golden eyes narrowed in concentration. "You gonna fist-fight me, huh? Here's what I think of your melee- [ **Infinite Arrow Rain** ]."

The golem suddenly found itself on the receiving end of hundreds- No, thousands of blows that started hammering at its armor. Not only was there a countless amount of arrows raining down on it, but each of them were so powerful they could easily punch through steel and flew at the speed of sound. The rain of arrows started piercing the Golem's metal body, first merely getting stuck and slowing him down before they soon started to punch holes through him and tore his body into bits and pieces.

The golem's fist did not even get the chance to reach its target. It collapsed into scrap metal before it could reach the mysterious bowman.

"Big surprise, I won." The man dropped from the ceiling and landed on the ground without a sound, completely ignoring the extreme height of the fall. "Man, why can't I get to fight something that's not a thirty foot tall ugly? All I'm asking for is a Nymph, or a Mermaid! Why's it always the giant monsters?"

Shaking his head sullenly, the man approached the chest that the golem had been protecting. "Now…" To his surprise, the chest was unlocked when he moved to open it. Pulling it open, he grinned widely. "Alright, lunch money! Come to Pa… pa…?"

He stared at the first thing he'd dragged out of the chest. It was a stone tablet, with letters of a very familiar language written on it. However, that wasn't the first thing that caught his attention. "What… Is this?"

There, engraved on the stone tablet-

-Was the emblem of something he thought he would never see again.

* * *

The mountains were fairly warm at this time of the year. As high as it was at this point, however, all presence of warmth faded in the presence of the clouds of cold that brushed the mountainside and the falling snow that covered trees and grass alike in a thin layer of ice.

Three figures were walking along the mountain trail, approaching a small wooden post that was currently housing two guards. The five of them engaged in a brief talk, and soon one of the figures was walking ahead while the other four were staying behind.

"-Hey, wait!" One of the figures that had stayed behind ran up to the first figure, who paused and sighed. He turned around, greeting the one had run up to meet him.

"Yes?"

"A-Are you sure you want to do this, my lord? If you stay here, you'll want for nothing. You've already done so much for us… Yet we haven't done anything to repay you yet…!" The figure that spoke was a middle aged man with sharp features. Though he was dressed in furs to protect him from the cold, they were of fine make and reflected his high status.

"...I can't. I trust in you, and I know you're not lying, but I can't stay in one place forever. Not as long as I can keep looking." The first figure looked back at the man, staring him down with ice-blue eyes. He gave a small smile, showing slightly elongated canines. "Besides, I have your staff's support in my quest, do I not? That's more than most people can claim."

Leaving the older-looking man speechless, he turned towards the mountain trail but was once more interrupted. "I understand. However… Is it really necessary to go through Katze Plains? I know the undead there should be no problem for you, but if it's transport then we can…"

"It's really alright." The figure continued walking along the path, waving dismissively at the man behind him without looking behind. "If it helps someone else, I'll gladly raise my sword to help… Right? Besides-"

He grinned, eyes flashing with light.

"I always did like to take the scenic route."

* * *

In the middle of the desert that lied south of the Slane Theocracy, there existed a vast city that had countless wondrous items. Over that vast city that was settled in the middle of an oasis, there existed a work of art that could not possibly have been crafted by human hands.

-It was, essentially, a flying citadel. It was a castle that hovered in the middle of the sky, flying high in the air beyond the reach of lesser men. Its halls of platinum and red were decorated with all kinds of wondrous items, some of which could even be called magic artifacts. It was the Castle of World's Desire, and it once had been the base from which a group of monstrous beings had almost destroyed the world.

The name of that citadel was Eryuentiu, and it was home to one of the most powerful beings in the world.

What awaited at the furthest depths of that citadel was a large throne room, so massive that it gave the feeling that it was not made for mere humans. Mountains of gold littered the sides of the room, but they were but pittances compared to the real hoard that existed in the center.

Magic Items. Hundreds of them, they spilled from the piles they were set in. Some of them glowed faintly, while others looked completely ordinary. However, all of them were extremely dangerous. It would not be strange for the strongest in this hoard to be classified at the highest rank of Divine, such was its wealth.

-Yet, even that was not the most amazing sight of Eryuentiu. If anything, what should inspire awe in those beings who managed to make it into this room…

...Would have to be the massive platinum-coloured dragon that slept over that pile of magic items, curled around an ornate sword that was placed on a pedestal.

-Suddenly, something changed.

The dragon who had been completely inert suddenly shifted, as something roused it from its sleep. Its scaled brows slowly blinked open, revealing burning orbs of molten gold that were the size of a man's head.

Raising its colossal neck, it turned its head towards one of the magic items that had been set aside from the piles, looking on with a confused expression. Slowly, however, its eyes widened in shock.

-The crystal ball it was looking at, was glowing with a deep red glow.

Drawing breath that could sunder mountains, the Platinum Dragon Lord roared in anger.

* * *

The imperial capital of Arwintar was currently going through rather stormy weather.

Deep within the walls of the Imperial Palace, an old-looking man was going through pieces of parchment as he went through the exhaustive process of scribing magic into scrolls. He did not write by hand, however, but instead the ink seemed to move across the scroll as if moved by his own will.

The old man looked at the grim weather, and stroked his beard as he watched the rain pour and lightning cross through the skies. He sighed, bored out of his mind but determined to finish his task.

Suddenly, there was a knock on his door. "Archmage Paradyne, Emperor Jircniv requests your presence in his chambers. He says it's not urgent, but would appreciate your haste nonetheless."

"Hmm… Tell him I'll be there in a moment." Hearing the fading footsteps of the guard, Fluder sighed and stood up from his chair. His weary, aged body creaked every time he moved too suddenly, and anyone who didn't know he was the Archmage of the Empire would have found such a sight pitiful.

"Alright…" Fluder glanced at his table, where the ink had finished scribing the spell into the scroll. "I should put this on hold, and then get going-"

 **Fluder.**

Fluder's eyes widened, as the dark voice echoed through his chambers.

In an instant, the man went through a transformation. He straightened completely, back muscles shifting to acquire a shape that was out of place in the old man by several decades. His wrinkles faded away, features sharpening as the white of his hair turned into a healthy platinum blonde. His piercing blue eyes were almost grey in their clarity, but their pupils seemed to burn with a menacing aura.

"Yes, my lord." The suddenly sixty years younger Archmage knelt humbly, facing the mirror in his room. Its crystal pulsed like ripples in the water, until Fluder's reflection faded away and was replaced with… Something else.

 **I trust everything is going according to plan**.

"Yes, my lord. Your envoys in Zuranon are reporting that some of its forces in Re-Estize are preparing for an assault on a city, but otherwise they are content with keeping a low profile. As for the Eight Fingers, everything is proceeding as planned. Those fools will surely end up eating themselves from the inside out any time soon."

 **What of the Empire?**

The young Fluder smiled darkly. For a moment, the slightest presence of fire seemed to race through his eyes. "Everything is proceeding as planned. All of us are awaiting your call, my lord."

 **Good. Very good. Your devotion is only surpassed by your magical genius, my disciple.**

"Of course, my lord." Fluder bowed his head, trying to restrain his body from trembling with joy. "You have allowed me to peer into the darkest depths of magic, and given me everything that I desired. Even if you asked me to give you the world, it would be an insignificant price to pay."

 **Your eagerness is worthy of praise. The time of my return will soon be at hand. When that moment comes, I will allow you to peek into those very depths you seek. Devote yourself to me, young demon, and I will reveal it to you…**

For an instant, a powerful flash of lightning raced across the rooftops of the imperial palace. The light temporarily parted the shadows that concealed the figure in the mirror, and what they showed was-

 **...The Abyss of Magic.**

-Two crimson eyes, burning in their malevolence.

* * *

 **Prologue: END**

 **Next:** _Start of an Adventure_


	7. Start of an Adventure

**Author Notes:**

 **Another Saturday means another translation of the Overlord novels, go read them if you haven't yet. This time I was pretty happy since they revealed more setting information, which is priceless when one's trying to properly build into a story that takes place within a similar continuity.**

 **Not much to say about this chapter, other than people's guesses as to who the unnamed figures spoken of before were pretty good. Of course, the number of AOG members we know anything about can be counted on one's fingers so it wasn't really too hard. Still, kudos to them.**

 **The latter half of this chapter was written while I was halfway comatose from a lack of sleep, so forgive me for any typos that might pop up there. I'm going to be busy with finals very soon, and there are some tests coming up so I wanted to get this one out as fast as possible.**

 **Here's the next chapter, and the start of the Kingdom/Exploration arc. (Also I'm writing it as 7.5 so I can finally make the next chapter number 8 to match the index, I'm such a genius)**

 **Chapter 7.5:** Start of an Adventure

"... _up, Herohero-sama!"_

Kazuo stirred, hearing a muffled voice slip in through the silky, warm covers of his bed. His mind felt muddled and hazy, just as if he were waking up from a long dream. Just who was it that was calling him so early, and by his MMO nickname to boot? None of his workmates played YGGDRASIL, and he'd always lived alone…

"Hauu… He told us to wake him up at dawn, but he's not moving at all…"

"Wh-what should we do, Nee-chan? If Herohero-sama is tired, shouldn't we leave him alone?"

The two girls' voices rang familiar in Kazuo's head, but for the life of him he couldn't remember where they were from. Considering Kazuo almost never talked with girls -he lived for his work, after all-, that was strange.

"D-don't worry, Latte! If I remember correctly, the Supreme Beings spoke of such situations. It seems that after sleeping, there is a curse that prevents them from regaining their motor skills for a while." He heard a gasp of horror, as a high-pitched yet hushed 'Oh no!' echoed through his senses. "Fortunately, it seems there's a way to dispel it. But… Fetching a bucket of cold water might take too long…"

Hearing some outrageous words took Kazuo's desire to sleep out of the window, and he started quivering under the sheets. Groaning, he reached with his hand out of the bed and pulled the sheets off, noting how their exquisite texture brushed against his soft, slimy body.

" _I'm up, I'm up already! What's the…"_ Kazuo blinked, the words dying in his throat. His mind ground to a halt, as the events of yesterday came to him like a flood. How after logging out from his favorite game, he had been transported as his own game character to a fantastic work, and the circumstances that had led there…

- _That's right… That's my name now._ Herohero sighed, trying his best to cope with what had happened. The fantasy-like scenario he'd experienced had not been a dream, after all. There was so much he'd gone through yesterday, that he could barely remember how he had even ended up in a bed.

"H-he's awake! Nee-chan!"

-It was then that Herohero remembered that he wasn't alone in the room, after all.

"-As I thought. Good morning, Herohero-sama!" Herohero turned towards the two voices who greeted him so earnestly, but his breath hitched before he could even utter out a response.

Herohero did not consider himself a lustful man. Years of slaving over his work had driven him to become desensitized from most worldly desires to the extent he could have been considered on his way to a coffin already, but that didn't mean he did not have an appreciation -and an attraction- for beauty.

That was why he couldn't help but think the two girls that were waiting at his bedside couldn't be called anything else but beautiful. It was not a simple prettiness that captured the eye, but rather a breath-taking beauty that could only be found on the most exceptional things. Both of the girls possessed such glamour, with skin that was a smooth as a doll's and heart-throbbing faces that looked almost sculpted to symmetrical perfection.

-Fitting, considering they were both video game characters designed to look that way.

The first of the two was Latte, who he'd designed with the angle of 'childish innocence' as a form of appeal. Her brown hair was long and straight, and so light that under the right light it could even be confused for blonde. A single ring of braided hair framed her face, and its even lighter shade made it look as if it was a halo circling her head.

She gazed at him with huge, doe-like blue eyes as she folded her dainty hands over her waist and gave him a formal bow to greet him. With her petite form that was like that of a 14 year old girl, however, instead of respectful formality, Herohero's heart could only shout at what an extremely cute gesture it was.

The second of the two gave a cooler air and unlike her 'sister' was no child, as both the size and shape of her body could attest. Herohero wasn't really sure what had possessed him to make Laplace's design- At first he'd wanted a cool, logical woman to act as the 'boss' of his little circle of NPCs in Nazarick, but somehow or another he'd flipped the design on its head so the final product only acted that way while hiding an almost motherly affection for the rest.

She was also as beautiful as Latte, but her appeal was less angelic and more seductive. Her lustrous black hair was pulled aside in twintails that framed her attractive face, and her pink lips hinted at the slightest pout. Her uniform did little to conceal her curves, and unlike Latte who invoked the cuteness of a child trying its best, Laplace's bow made Herohero feel like he was catering to some kind of fetish eroge.

 _As expected of Whitebrim-san… The time he spent modding Elder Scrolls games was well-spent._ He thought words of prayer towards their guildmate who had been renown for devoting his entire life to spreading the beauty of maids across the world. It was that zealous devotion to his fetish that had granted him his god-like graphical design skills and made it possible for him to become a world-famous mangaka.

"Herohero-sama, is something the matter?" Laplace tilted her head, confused at the way Herohero was staring so intensely at them. Was he feeling alright? If he had really been cursed after sleeping, then she might need to go fetch the bucket after all.

" _...No, it's nothing. Good morning Laplace, Latte."_ Herohero slipped out of the bed's silky covers, finding it laughably easy to slip out of the tangle of sheets with his amorphous body. The two maids stepped aside to give him space as he stood to stretch- Even though none of his muscles felt sore… Likely because he lacked any.

" _By the way, could this be… My room in the ga- Nazarick?"_ Herohero looked around. The room he found himself in seemed less like an ordinary bedroom and more like something you would find in a royal suite. The floor was covered in a lush carpet, the walls were decorated with ornate paintings and several random items were placed the room's tables, boards and the rest of the furniture. Herohero recognized them as some of the decorative souvenirs he'd acquired from doing events or obtained as bonuses from cash purchases.

"That's right, Herohero-sama." Laplace puffed up her chest, as her voice filled with pride. "We have worked very hard to keep your room in a state worthy of your return. Everything is exactly as it was since your last visit!"

" _Is that so…?"_ Herohero looked at the room appreciatively. Laplace's words were indeed true- The room was so clean it could only be called spotless in imperfections. It literally sparkled with its cleanliness. Even though the suite felt way too extravagant for him… " _Thanks, Laplace. You did a great job."_

"E-eh!? Ah… Thank you, Herohero-sama…" Laplace sputtered in a sweet voice, as her face turned red from the praise.

"Herohero-sama! I worked really hard with Nee-chan, too!" Latte burst in, looking at the slime with her sparkling blue eyes. Her hands were balled into little fists, and her determined expression made Herohero feel like ten years of his life had been returned to him.

" _Is that so, Latte-chan? You did very good as well."_ Herohero reached out to the adorable maid, using his arm to pet her head as praise. Her pleased reaction was even more ridiculous than Laplace's, as she squeaked out an 'Awawawa' before bowing and thanking him profusely.

-Suddenly a deep growl echoed through the room, causing all three of them to freeze.

"... _Sorry._ " Herohero blushed, looking down at his slime body which was vibrating from hunger. He hadn't really realized that ever since he came to this world, he hadn't eaten anything.

"Oh my, was that Herohero-sama's stomach?" More maids strode into the room, pushing along a trolley that carried expensive-looking chinaware, along with a tray that was filled to the brim with scones. "How fortuitous I did not forget to preserve yesterday's food, then!"

Herohero looked on as all nine of his maids poured into the room, giving him their greetings while they set off to do various tasks. He watched as they neatly tidied the bed he had been sleeping on seconds ago, saw them fuss over the angle the paintings were hanged at, and even had to reject an offer from them to get him into his dress clothes.

However, what he had not turned down was their offer of breakfast. He was positively famished.

" _I-It's delicious!"_ Herohero moaned, shoving the steaming buns down his mouth one after another. As someone who was entirely resigned to eating instant food for the rest of his life, something like proper treats for breakfast other than a toast seemed inconceivable. Yet there he was, a veritable feast laid out only for him.

"Fufufu. Would you like more tea, Herohero-sama?" The question came from Midori, the most motherly and, kept secretly in Herohero's mind, most attractive of the maids. With a body most girls would kill for, and a gentle expression whose occasional gloom only enhanced its beauty, she was by definition angelic.

However, she was also clumsy. She performed her tasks well, of course, but whenever she got excited she'd often forget important details just to fuss over what had captured her attention. Herohero thought that it only added to her motherly charisma, but he was a little worried that it might impact her life now.

"You'd better eat everything! We worked really hard to make that food perfect, you know!? N-not that I want you to, or anything…" Another maid stammered with a fierce voice, even as her hands perfectly poured tea into his waiting cup. She was Rie, and she was one of the girls that Herohero had had the most fun designing.

Originally he had wanted to make her a high-level battle maid, but Whitebrim's insistence on sticking with the Pleiades and Homunculus maid schism drew him to switch up the design a little. Instead of an actual fighter, he had just made her a fan of various fighting manga clichés. She sincerely thought that things such as giant robots, massive unwieldy swords and 'magic high-school' settings were amazing things, and Herohero had even gone out of his way to place a collection of old manga from the library on her quarters to reflect that.

-It was only fitting, considering the fiery ponytailed redhead was the embodiment of the 'tsundere' and 'tomboy' stereotypes. She even wore spats under her maid dress, not that Herohero had confirmed such a thing outside of setting knowledge.

" _Fwaah! That was a good meal…"_ Herohero sighed contentedly, his hunger sated at last after he'd emptied the entire food tray. " _By the way, um, girls… Do you know where Momonga-san is?_ "

"Ah… Momonga-sama should be in the throne room at the moment, Herohero-sama. Apparently he has been talking over some issues with the guardians. I am not sure what those are however, please forgive me…" Laplace bowed her head.

" _Th-that's okay. Then, I guess I should get going."_ Herohero said, then looked down at his body for a moment and frowned. As expected, no matter how unbothered he was by his new form… He didn't like being a slime that much.

He wanted to shapeshift into a human being, but…

" _Could you leave the room for a second so I can get dressed?_ " His slime eye twitched slightly as all the maids fussed over him.

...There was no way he could do that in this situation, was there?

* * *

"Somehow, I managed to get away…" Herohero sighed, now back in humanoid form while wearing his full set of gear. After exchanging greetings with most of the people in the 9th floor, he'd finally been able to make his way to the 10th Floor in order to go see his friend.

Unlike the unassuming appearance he'd taken in the village, this time Herohero had decided to bring out most of his high-level gear just to see if they were still working properly. He'd even gone and equipped his primary weapon, just to see if its effects still functioned correctly.

The results were that he cut in a rather intimidating figure. As a member of Ainz Ooal Gown who had spent close to 12 years playing YGGDRASIL, Herohero possessed a wealth of magic items. Among those, his favorites consisted of three different Divine-class items with very powerful effects.

The first were a pair of cestus named [Heavenly Tusks of Airavata]. These gauntlets were made with some of the most expensive crafting materials in the game, and they possessed the data crystal of a rare dungeon boss that needed many resources and time to beat. The hide that wrapped around his hands was white as the snow, and seemed to reflect light in a way that should've been impossible for leather. Golden metal plate pressed against his padded knuckles, and if one looked hard towards the faintly glowing metal, they would see the ornate design of an elephant's face engraved over the plate.

The second were a pair of metal-plated boots called the [Wings of Hermes]. They were one of the most essential items for a melee fighter like him, as they possessed a passive enhancement that granted complete freedom of movement, preventing being entrapped or held down by skills or abilities that weren't a direct grappling check. They also protected against several dangerous status effects, such as Paralysis or Time Stop.

The third was a dark blue headband with golden trim, which he'd dubbed [Crest of Unending Fighting Spirit]. Despite its embarrassing name, it was a powerful Divine-class item that granted numerous protections and possessed a powerful buff that reduced damage taken and increased damage dealt in proportion to HP loss.

Coupled with his Dragonhide light armor, these items gave him so many status bonuses that they placed him at the mid-high tier of players, which was dominated by either those characters who lacked 'god-level' gear but specialized in their combat classes and those who made up for their weaknesses through the use of expensive items.

However… There was a slight problem…

 _This is so lame…! All I need is some belts and I'll be in the next Final Fantasy!_ Herohero placed his palms over his face, remembering how Rie had started gushing when she saw him in his full gear. Now he wished that he'd made his items with a more minimalistic look in mind, or something a little more fitting such as Momonga's own robes.

Banishing the evil thoughts from his mind, Herohero proceeded to make his way down to the 10th Floor using the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown. His form appeared just before the huge set of double doors that led into the Throne Room, which caused the ones who had been guarding it to become startled.

"-Ah, Herohero-sama. How was your rest?" Herohero blinked, looking at the stone-faced butler that greeted him. There was a brief moment where Herohero wanted to ask what Touch Me was doing dressed as an old butler, but he shortly realized that it was just an NPC that was modeled after Touch Me's real life looks.

"I'm doing good… Sebas Tian, was it?" At the butler's nod, Herohero gave a mental sigh of relief. It would be really weird to explain himself to the NPC if he'd forgotten his name.

"Oh, it's Herohero-sama! What's up~?" Herohero almost jumped when a voice spoke behind him, and he turned to glare at the smiling maid who'd surprised him from behind.

"Lupusregina, how dare you-" Sebas stepped forward, a severe expression on his face before Herohero extended an arm to stop him.

"It's alright… Yes, Lupusregina-san. That is exactly why I am here." Herohero frowned, looking at the smiling maid with a wary expression. _Is she using concealment abilities in the middle of the 10th floor? Now that I think about it, could she be made by that guy Luci Fer?_

Herohero made an unpleasant face as he recalled the member of Ainz Ooal Gown that most of them tended to refer as 'That Guy'. He was a brilliant programmer and one of the biggest money-makers in the guild, up there with Touch Me. He worked in America, but used the Japanese servers nonetheless.

However, his personality was best described as that of a malicious troublemaker. He had a bad sense of humor, frequently talked with Peroroncino over trivial issues that popped up in the '2ch' message board, and prided himself on making others upset. Whenever he took part in guild raids, he always made sure to contribute an elaborate twist on their strategy to humiliate the enemy he called a 'master ruse'.

If Lupusregina was anything like him, Herohero could understand why the butler felt irritated at her actions.

"Ah, is that so~? Momonga-sama is talking with Demiurge at the moment, but he'd been asking for you for a while." Lupusregina said, the smile still plastered on her face even as she bowed in greeting.

"Lupusregina! How dare you leave your post and run like this!" Herohero saw another maid approach, this one dressed in a way that made Herohero gulp. With a beautiful appearance, a maid 'uniform' that left little to the imagination yet was clearly meant to be some kind of combat gear, she was figuratively and literally dressed to kill.

However, the dangerous-looking maid reacted in a way he couldn't have expected. When their eyes met, she seemed to freeze for a moment before her form turned fidgety and she averted her eyes.

"H-herohero-sama! Y-you are looking very splendid today." The alluring maid spoke in a surprisingly shy voice.

Herohero looked confused for a moment, before a thought crossed his head. _Wait a second, she doesn't…_

"...Thank you, Solution. Y-you seem to be doing well, too." As he said that, Solution looked at him with a surprised expression before quickly turning her head away. _I knew it…!_

Herohero clenched his fists, feeling exhausted once again.

 _It's these clothes, isn't it? She's looking away because she thinks they're totally lame!_ Herohero was certain that was the reason the combat maid was being so awkward around him. That or she had a crush on him, but that would be completely unrealistic. _Ahhh, next time let's just use the normal gear from the village…_

Lupusregina just looked on with a smile that was growing wider and wider.

Suddenly, there was a disturbance that interrupted Herohero from his brooding. He watched as the double doors that led into the Throne Room were pushed open, and an impeccably-dressed man in an orange suit and glasses stepped out, his tail lazily swishing. It must have been his imagination, but he looked a little downcast.

"-Ah, Herohero-sama. Momonga-sama was waiting for you. If there is anything you need, I shall be in my quarters within the 7th Floor." Demiurge said briefly as he bowed to the slime, before striding out of the room.

"...Well, I guess I'll be going in then." Herohero said. "Take care, Solution, Lupusregina, Sebas." Herohero bode the Pleiades and the Head Butler farewell, and moved towards the still open doors of the Throne room.

 _Alright, time to work. How worse could it be than programming?_

* * *

The Sniveling Raccoon was the most popular tavern in the city of E-Pespel. Featuring a grand five floors for rooms and a massive ground floor bar for people to drink away their woes and share a hearty meal, it was the hot spot for most of the Adventurers that lived in the city.

Much like always, the tables were filled to the brim with adventurers of every rank. It was a lively scene, as adventurer parties gathered around a table to boast about their exploits or flirt with the serving girls. Some of them were more serious, in that they were fishing for rumours or gathering information they could use against monsters.

E-Pespel was one of the cities with the most adventurers on it. Because it was located at the outskirts of a forest that connected with the mountain ranges of the Slane Theocracy, its territory was highly populated with demi-human races that fled from the Theocracy to seek better places to grow. It even had a sizable population of elves, who had settled near the city for similar reasons.

-However, this wasn't something entirely good. While the presence of adventurers was powerful, it also meant that there were more monsters that called for their efforts. It wasn't uncommon for novice adventurers who were patrolling the forest to be attacked by a powerful creature and lose their lives in a tragic accident.

Nonetheless, it was one of the most prosperous of the Kingdom's cities and one that took pride in the strength of its adventurers. Because of certain circumstances, it was currently prized as the first-ranked Adventurer city even though it had only been in third place six months ago. Many flocked to it in search of new opportunities or a chance at earning fame and fortune like the Kingdom's most popular heroes.

There were many such figures, most of them adventurers of Mithril rank or higher. Individuals such as the 'Spear Lord' Clight Duane, or the 'Wise Mole' Digger Nole were regularly the hot topics of most young adventurers, spoken of with admiration similar to that shown towards legends or exceptional places.

Among all those figures, however, there was one who stood out in particular. He had only appeared around six months, but his actions had forever altered the balance of power in the city. Many praised his name to the high heavens, while others cursed it with their mouths as much as with their hearts.

He, who had quickly burrowed into the hearts of E-Pespel's citizens, the man who possessed an irrepressible charisma but was cursed with an uncontainable lust for glory and women. The one with a devilish heart and the strength of a hero, who was called the 'Golden Demon'. That warrior who was called the strongest adventurer, his name was-

"BARMAN!" The doors of the tavern flew open, as a person brazenly made his way into the tavern lounge. The intruder's arrogant voice caused everyone in the floor to turn their heads towards him, but their looks of scorn quickly turned into shock and awe.

The figure calmly walked past the adventurers' tables, as the entire bar seemed to grow quiet. Formerly loud conversations were reduced to hushed whispers as most of the adventurers maintained their gazes trained on the man who even then was heading straight towards the man at the serving counter.

As the building's lights were cast on the figure, his features were revealed. The man's armor was limited to a vest he wore over his casual clothes, which consisted of little more than a shirt, leather pants and boots. However, he was undoubtedly a fighter. A belt on his waist holstered the sheath for his falchion, a famous curved sword renowned for its cutting power.

In addition, there was a longbow strapped to his back. The weapon was almost as tall as the man himself if not taller, and it was made of a strange black wood that seemed to glimmer under the torchlight. Strangely enough, there was no quiver on his person.

He stepped up to the counter and stared down the middle-aged man who was preparing the drinks. With his tanned skin, dark hair and sharp features, there was a murky shadow lying behind his handsome face which was only enhanced by his bright golden eyes, which seemed to burn brighter than even the tavern's lanterns.

"Listen up. There's something I want you to do." He spoke, raising his head. The barman drew back instinctively, and waited in awe-filled silence for what he would say.

The man with the golden eyes gave a wide, glowing sneer-

-Right as he reached within his clothes and slammed a bright golden coin on the counter. The tavern's light shone on the man as he placed the money on the table, reflecting the gleaming plate of adamantite tied on his neck.

"I want you to give a free round to every slimy son of a bitch in this place!" Leaving the gold coin in front of the astonished barman, the smirking man turned back dramatically and spread out his arms. "Chin up, boys! Peron's on the house today!"

There was a second of silence-

-Until the tavern exploded into rambunctious cheers, as all of the adventurers gave out cries of joy. "PERON! PERON! PERON! PERON! PERON!"

Peron cheerfully waved at the adventurers who praised him, and made his way to a single empty table in the room. Everyone who came by his way greeted him in some manner, either asking for advice or inviting him to join them in some form of quest. Everywhere around him, excited chatting started to pop up.

" _Hey, isn't that Peron, the Golden Demon?"_

" _Seriously!? That's the man known as the 'One-man Army' who single-handedly beat down a Red Wyvern?"_

" _Man, look at how smug he is. He isn't even trying to hide it."_

" _Are you kidding? That's the insatiable Golden Demon. He's the only man insane enough to flirt with Blue Rose and live to tell the tale!"_

" _I can't blame him, but… Really? Even if you're adamantite as well, there's a limit to the balls one can have…"_

" _Some say he flirted with everyone, even Gagaran. Even in the Theocracy they don't marry like that!"_

" _As expected of the Golden Demon! Hahahahaha!"_

"What will you be having today, Peron-sama?" One of the prettier serving girls approached him, blinking at him with wide eyes and a bright smile. Peron gave a small hum, placing his legs over the table and rocking back his chair as if pondering.

"I guess I'll just take the finest as every other day. Your finest to drink, your fullest main course, and for dessert…" Peron's hands moved with blinding agility, and before she knew it the girl was being held on Peron's lap. "...I think I'll have you, Litia-chan."

"N-No! Peron-sama, that's so sudden…!" The girl looked away and huffed, but the way she squirmed against him made Peron laugh like a smarmy old man. The adventurers in the background sweatdropped collectively at the girl's obviously fake display.

'Peron' grinned. _It's only been a month and half, and she's already this well-trained. Good job, Peroroncino!_

Oogami Agito used to not believe in Gods.

Ever since his early teens, the only subject of worship in his life had been the Eroge industry and the perky, busty girls that existed in the dimension beyond his screen. He had been a shameless, unrepenting otaku whose list of fetishes was about as long as the number of anime he'd marathoned.

For him who had been doomed to put his mind into work in order to support his hobbies, there had existed only two joys- His prized eroge collection, and his YGGDRASIL account. When that virtual game had come out, Agito for the first time in his life felt that something was calling to him.

He devoted himself to that game, and eventually got together with a party of eight other people who accepted him despite his hobbies, and the nine of them went on to become the founders of one of the greatest guilds in the server.

Ainz Ooal Gown was the coolest thing he'd ever done in his life. Nothing, not even shooting down trolls over the internet with their nonsensical arguments, compared to being able experience a fantasy world in virtual reality that he could bend to his will with overwhelming power.

It had cost all 41 of their guildmates a pretty penny as well as ages of effort, but they'd managed to build an unconquerable dungeon and collectively spank the proverbial rears of the Human Race players that'd hunted them down at the beginning of the game.

However, eventually Agito realized that he had to give it up. It was sometime after they'd forged the guild item for Momonga, that he'd realized it.

After everything they had gone through, after all the events they had accomplished and the mountains of treasure they had collected…

They had run out of things to do.

The game devs had started to give less importance to new events and mostly maintained the server with existing data, which left most of the high-level players with little to do.

In addition, there were many games which were employing new high-definition VR technology, and some of them made Agito positively drool. Virtual Reality was there to stay, and gradually the government had become more lax on the rules for virtual reality which enabled all sorts of new possibilities for eroge.

It had made him sad, to abandon YGGDRASIL before its time of closure. However, he hadn't felt like being tied to the game anymore and most of the guild had already abandoned as well, so it had been with a heavy heart that he had given away most of his gear to Momonga and prepared to logout for the last time.

However, the moment he pressed the logout button, he did not wake up to see his bedroom and return to his boring, normal life. The place he found himself instead was completely unfamiliar… But his body was not.

With the single press of a button, the skinny otaku Oogami Agito had disappeared… And the mighty warrior Peroroncino had been set free.

He didn't know if it was because he had finally reached 30 years of being a virgin or if it was a mere act of divine providence, but Peroroncino still thanked whatever being had brought him here.

He had been confused and lost at first, but over several weeks he had learned about the new world he'd been transported to and became adjusted to its reality. Using one of the few items he'd kept to change shape into a human form, he'd slipped into this world's society and became one of its greatest adventurers by virtue of the seemingly massive level disparity between himself and the rest of the planet.

Eventually, Peroroncino had noticed it- Something that he thought he would only see happen in movies or games, or to anyone else but him. Everyone in the city had grown to admire him. People regularly sought his friendship or even asked him for simple handshakes, and girls that would've once looked at him with revulsion instead sized him up like a piece of meat.

-Oogami Agito had not believed in Gods. But Peroroncino sure did, and he was in heaven.

"Hahahaha, isn't that what you said the last time, Litia-chan?" Holding the girl like she weighed less than a feather, he brought her close to his muscled chest, grasping her jaw to press their foreheads together. "That's no good, you know?" He whispered. "People will call you an easy girl."

Peroroncino felt one of the girl's hands grope his chest, and that was all he need to know that he'd just scored for the evening. Litia was a nice girl- She was cute, she was bold and she hadn't been afraid to approach him despite his sleazy reputation. He genuinely liked her, and in his own world might have even put a ring on her.

But in this world, Peroroncino felt much more free. He couldn't let something like marriage tie him down from chasing after the countless cute girls that surely existed out there.

Even so, he'd been going at it steadily with Litia, her trying to control him while he simply had his way with her. After showing her just what he could do with thirty years' worth of erotic material in his brain as well as the stamina and skills of a level 100 player, however, she had become putty in his hands.

"Back to see Litia again, eh Peron?" 'Peron' blinked, looking towards the approaching adventurer that smiled down at him. He was young-looking like him, but the orichalcum plate on his neck revealed that he was a high-ranker whose status rivalled his own.

"Oh, it was just Nale." He smirked as he continued to 'play' with Litia. "How's your team doing? Old bear got any new scars, or did he just up and finally keel over?" He said, referring to the massive druid that often partied with his drinking buddy.

Nale Würst shrugged. "Dunno man, it's impossible to tell when that guy changes shape more times than I change clothes. You never know if the old bastard got wasted for trying to fuck a goat or if he just charged into a rain of arrows again."

Both of them shook their heads and sighed collectively. "Druids."

Peron suddenly looked sullen, and Litia blinked when she noticed that he'd stopped reacting as he usually did. At some point during his chat with Nale, he had started to stare off into space.

The truth was that Nale's words had brought Peroroncino to remember the time he'd spent in YGGDRASIL with his friends, as well as the strange tablet he'd found three days ago in a dungeon.

The first surprising detail about the Tablet was that it had been written in Japanese. To Peroroncino it had been effortless to read, but most of it had been basically nothing more than experimental logs about the new world which while fascinating were not very relevant to his own interests.

No, he'd been more surprised by the crest that had been engraved in the tablet. It was a design that only a YGGDRASIL player, and even then only one of few would have been able to recognize.

-After all, that crest was nothing less than the Guild Emblem of Ainz Ooal Gown.

Knowing that, Peroroncino was worried. He'd spent so much time enjoying himself…

...That he'd completely forgotten to search for his friends in this world.

"W-well then, Peron-sama." Peron blinked when Litia let herself down, shaking him out of his thoughts. The girl was looking at him with her arms crossed, not really annoyed but not too happy either. "I'll bring you your order right now, so sit tight, okay?"

Before he could stammer a reply, the girl leant forwards and planted a wet kiss on his lips. Immediately the tavern erupted in a cacophony of whoops and jeers.

Watching her walk away, both Nale and Peron could only sit there with their mouths agape.

"God _damn._ " Peroroncino whispered in awe.

He'd found something that had given his life in this world a new twist. It was likely that from here onwards, a lot more trouble would rear its head in eventually. Since he'd found evidence that his friends were in this world, he could no longer laze around and take it easy as he'd done for months.

Still, for the moment he had to say…

 _...Life is good._

* * *

"This sucks..." Herohero complained, banging his head against the conference table. "How are we supposed to plan what to do when all we know about the world is hearsay?"

"Hahaha… I feel the same…" Momonga replied, idly scratching at his skull while he shared in his friend's frustration.

Somehow or another, the two of them had ended up in the exact same place where they had given each other their last farewells- The great conference table of Ainz Ooal Gown. Originally Momonga had wanted to discuss things in the Throne Room, but when he realized that it made him look down on Herohero he'd gone ahead and switched to this location.

In a way, it made Momonga feel happy that they were discussing their next course of action in this room. Even if they were only two people, it was still better than the lonely days he'd spent when none of his other guildmates had logged in.

Even the mood of the room seemed to somewhat reflect this. The vacant seats Momonga saw around the table were no longer reason to despair the loss of his friends, but rather a reminder of his promise.

"Alright…" Herohero sighed. "So, let's go over things bit by bit again. Momonga-san, what exactly has carried over from Nazarick to this 'New World'?"

"That's… A difficult question." Momonga looked down, looking thoughtful as he considered the best way to answer. "As you have seen for yourself, all of our skills, spells and items are functioning properly. The same goes for the NPCs, they seem to have no trouble exercising their abilities. As for game aspects, it's mostly hit and miss. For example, I have no problem taking a sword into my hand but I can't use it as if I was a warrior, at least not unless I create one as a magic item."

"What about the guild system? We had a lot of automated defenses. If those stopped running, then we'd be in real trouble…" Herohero said, remembering the automatic system in Nazarick that spawned mobs under level 30 en masse in order to deter invaders. It wouldn't be so bad in the lower levels, but the respawning monsters made up the meat of the 1st to 3rd floors' lines of defense, not counting the Old Guard and other superior undead in the 3rd Floor.

"Everything in the guild system seems to still be working, though it still consumes gold." Momonga said, though he appeared concerned for a moment. "I am not so sure about resurrection of custom NPCs, though… I didn't really have the courage to test it out."

Herohero stiffened, trying to imagine if he really could sacrifice one of his creations to test if they'd get back up. "...Yeah, I don't like it either. Let's hope it never comes to that." At Momonga's relieved nod, Herohero continued. "...Alright, what do we know about the NPCs themselves. How close do they stick to their settings?"

Momonga winced. "I'd be lying if I said they didn't stick to them a lot. You know how I modified Albedo's settings before the transition, right?" Herohero nodded, remembering the scolding he had given the poor skeleton (although the alternative was not much better). "She seems to believe she had always been that way."

"So, if the setting said that they were creatures of absolute evil…" Herohero started, already feeling the headache coming. At Momonga's numb nod, he let out a painful groan. "That can't possibly be good."

Momonga hesitated. Should he really share this with Herohero? "Actually…" He begun, trying to word himself carefully. "...I might just have prevented one of the NPCs from starting a world conquest in my name."

"...What." Herohero stared at Momonga blankly, his vacant eyes numb to the point they looked like little dots. "What did you just say."

"Yeah…" Momonga chuckled awkwardly, remembering how that particular incident had gone down.

" _Momonga-sama, I don't understand… Why did you not tell the others of your second great objective?"_

" _...What do you mean, Demiurge? I allow you to speak."_

" _Very well. Then, remember when we talked about the sky last night?" Demiurge started to relate what he'd interpreted from Momonga that day…_

"And then he told me, 'if it is Momonga-sama's will, then conquering this world would be a trivial task for us Guardians'. Can you even tell how I felt!?" Momonga complained, all the while Herohero continued to smack his head against the table.

"Momonga-san, it was a bad decision to unleash your inner chuunibyou just then…" Herohero shook his head, though secretly thankful that they had dodged _that_ bullet before it became a terrible issue that got out of hand.

"Yes… Bad decisions aside, have you considered what I told you yesterday? Since I heard about them existing in this world, I just couldn't stop thinking about it..."Momonga said, referring to an earlier conversation they'd had at the end of last night.

"Adventurers, huh…?" Herohero said, pondering the idea. What Momonga had proposed back then was that they posed as adventurers as a way of gathering information. Certainly, the tales of hunting monsters and protecting the kingdom while achieving fame and fortune could only be called a 'man's romance', but while Herohero did find the idea appealing…

...He shook his head. "I think it's a good idea, but not one we should go into together." When Momonga made a surprised noise, Herohero pushed forwards before the train of thought could escape him. "Think about it, Momonga-san. Stronoff-san just gave us a premium invitation into the capital. Isn't that something we should check out as soon as possible?"

"Y-you're right. But, is revealing ourselves so soon really such a good idea? If we just go and walk into a palace, there's no telling what they might try to do to us!" Momonga argued, thinking that it was too sudden to take Gazef's words for granted without first confirming the state of the kingdom itself.

"I agree… Which is why we're going to investigate the closest city first of all." Herohero shook his head tiredly. "I just don't want to do it as an adventurer. If our objective is to gain fame, then a single one of us will do as good a job as two of us. Furthermore, Momonga-san…"

Herohero looked at his guild master with a dry gaze. "...If both of us run off to become adventurers, who's going to hold down the fort if something urgent happens while we're both role-playing?"

Momonga titled his head in defeat. "You're absolutely right." He couldn't tell Herohero that the reason he'd insisted in the both of them becoming adventurers was because of his nostalgia, when Ainz Ooal Gown would go to raid dungeons and fight bosses.

Even if it was just playing around, he thought that if both of them started adventuring together, it could be really fun. However, Herohero was right.

-No, it was Momonga who had been wrong to let his nostalgia blind him.

What mattered the most was getting his friends back, and working to keep Nazarick safe. If he became drunk on the dreams of the old days like a puppet with its strings cut, or let his own bias hinder his decisions, then that could eventually become a threat to Nazarick and his friends. If he couldn't restrain himself from that much, then he didn't deserve his position of Guildmaster.

"Then, let's work hard to find our friends back, Herohero-san."

"Yeah!"

The two of them shook hands.

 **One Month Later**

"So that's E-Rantel, huh?" Herohero stated, looking down at the massive city that stretched out in the distance. It had a breathtaking design, with tall city walls that protected it like a fortress and certain landmarks so large that the three of them had no trouble distinguishing their features.

"Seems like it." Momonga joined Herohero in his sight-seeing. He crossed his arms, as the crimson cloak of his black armor billowed in the wind. This armor was the essence of his current persona, the adventurer 'Momon'.

"What a filthy nest of lower lifeforms." Both of them turned to look at the dark-haired beauty who'd spouted those words, as she arrogantly turned her face up towards the distant city. She was Narberal Gamma, one of the battle maids of the Pleiades who would be going under the name of 'Nabe' for this mission.

Momonga and Herohero exchanged a brief glance.

 _Yep. -Bringing her was a terrible idea!_

...However, despite Narberal's odd reaction, neither Momonga nor Herohero felt much stress. The sight of E-Rantel filled their hearts with hope. There was an entirely new world out there, full of magnificent sights such as these. There was no telling what they might find within those walls, but whatever it was they were prepared for it.

Somewhere out there, their friends were waiting.

One city, two cities, or even all the settlements in the world. No matter how they were like, they wouldn't stop scouring these lands until they uncovered the locations of their friends.

The adventures of Ainz Ooal Gown, and their quest to retrieve their lost comrades...

"-Let's go, Momon-san. The world is waiting for us-!"

"Yeah!"

...They would begin here, in this city.

* * *

 **Next** : _The Swords of Darkness_


	8. The Swords of Darkness

**Author Notes:**

 **Thanks everyone for your kind support. I'll try to pull through finals as best as I can, and I'm happy to say that as long as I don't get thrown into a ditch somewhere (Like a puppet with its strings cut.) I'll be more than able to keep a good updating pace for this story. At the very least I have enough of an idea of where to go with the story that we have plenty to work with- Thank god for the stations of canon.**

 **That said, if people are feeling bored with the way some of these scenes are sticking to the canon timeline, I ask for your patience. It takes time for a divergence to really take root, and I want to preserve some things that happened in the light novels as they're important for explaining a good number of stuff about the world.**

 **Anyways, here's the next chapter.**

 **Chapter 8:** _The Swords of Darkness_

Of all the cities in the Kingdom of Re-Estize, E-Rantel was considered the one of most military importance.

Even in older times, this city had been greatly coveted by ancient human nations. With three layers of solid, fortified walls that barred all invaders from its streets and conjoined to a legitimate military fortress, it was a major defensive center capable of housing even two hundred thousand soldiers. Without E-Rantel's power, it was likely that the Kingdom would have no ability to project power over Katze Plains, and as such it was considered the only thing truly keeping the Baharuth Empire at bay.

The three city walls that protected E-Rantel from invaders also divided it into three different zones, with the zone behind outermost wall used by the military and the innermost circle housing all administrative and governmental offices. In-between these highly fortified outposts was the residential area, which was inhabited by tens of thousands.

That was the largest area in the city, as well as the most lively. As the residential zone it not only contained the people's living space, but it was also home to dozens of shops, plazas and inns for all kinds of travelers and visitors. Of all of these the ones of most renown were those that were established in the Central Plaza.

The reason for this fame was not just because said plaza was located in the way of the city's main gates, but rather because of one particular building that stood at the center of it. It was this building that saw more activity than all the others around the plaza combined, and it was considered one of the three pillars that kept the city running, day by day.

That building, which rose to as high as five stories tall, was known as the Adventurer's Guild. It was the administrative center for all parties in the region who made it their mission to subjugate hostile monsters and protect the peace of the human realms. In other words…

-It was the place which the fabled Adventurers called their 'home.'

Once more, the liveliness of the plaza was interrupted by an event surrounding this building. All over the street, shopkeepers and bystanders alike turned their heads at the loud creak of the Headquarters' double doors. All of them were filled by curiosity, knowing that whoever might step out from that place could always be an extraordinary individual.

However, the ones they saw were…

" _Dark warrior…"_ One of the citizens whispered in awe.

...Beyond their expectations.

"Hmph… I guess gear does not influence your starting rank after all." One completely covered in black armor said, fiddling with the copper plate on his neck. His face was unidentifiable, completely concealed by a large black helmet so tightly sealed only its thread-thin visor allowed any light through.

"It can't be helped, Momon-san. Impartiality is the safest path to avoid corruption, right?" A man casually addressed the large warrior, pushing back his glasses as he walked. Far less intimidating compared to his larger companion, he was dressed in a set of street clothes that gave him a cultured appearance, like that of a merchant or librarian.

"A mere copper plate being offered to Momong- Momon-sama… Tch, ungrateful insects." The one with the dissatisfied expression on her face soon captured the attention of the men. More beautiful than any woman they had ever seen, even with her ice-cold expression the girl seemed as if she could enthrall people with a mere glance. She, too, carried a copper plate on her neck.

The plaza momentarily fell into silence as the three of them walked out… Something that did not go unnoticed by them.

" _Uhm… Momon- I mean, Momonga-san… Is it just me or are we really popular all of a sudden?"_ Herohero -currently going under the guise of 'Kazu'- messaged, glancing through his spectacles at the gaping bystanders.

" _W-Well... Let them look! Isn't that we wanted?"_ As he said that, 'Momon' approached the shops spread throughout the plaza, glancing at their wares with cautious interest.

" _You know, they sell pretty normal stuff…"_ Kazu mentioned, moving past Momon as he looked at the wares displayed on one stand. Most of the shops around dealt exclusively in serving food and a few daily goods, but in their short trek throughout the city the only real consumer goods they had spotted on the stalls were trinkets and jewelry, and none that could be really said to be magic items (other than people running a scam show.)

"Excuse me, is there anything I can interest you in?" The shopkeeper of the stall they were currently looking at was a skinny fellow that looked in his thirties, with rough hair dried by the sun and and a friendly yet wary expression on his face. "Perhaps a luck charm? O-or if the lady is interested, I have some gems that perfectly match her eyes..."

"Huh?" Narberal stared at the man, then at the man's worthless products as if she had tasted something foul. "Momon-sama, may I ki-"

" _Actually_ we're in a HUGE bind!" Kazu cut in, desperate to cover up the disguised maid's hostility. "This is actually our first time in the city, and unfortunately we're ignorant of many of the cities' establishments. If you could assuage our doubts, then we'd be very grateful..."

Noticing the stall owner's dissatisfied expression, Kazu quickly eyeballed a random ware that was on display. "Oh, is this one of those charms you mentioned?" He picked up the cheaply crafted jewelry and acted interested, as if he hadn't already known that it possessed no effects at all. "It looks very well made. Don't you think so, Momon-san?"

"Y-yeah. It looks very… fortuitous." The novice adventurer nodded weakly. "Very traditional, Kazu-san. Why don't you talk over that charm, then, while I have a few words with my companion?" As he said this, Momon turned from the stall and approached Narberal, surprising the maid when he started dragging her to a more quiet spot.

"I-Is something the matter?" Asked the shopkeeper, happy that his goods were receiving attention yet worried that the two adventurers had gotten into some form of discussion.

'Kazu' grimaced for a moment as he watched Momon deliver some choice words to the meekly nodding NPC, and inwardly reconsidered whether taking an NPC as help for their cover and/or bodyguard duty had really been necessary. He didn't feel animosity towards any of the Guardians, but he had to admit that for all of Nazarick's power, 'subtle' had never been one of their aims.

 _But still, even just two adventurers in a party is pushing it…_

Momonga and Herohero's goal for infiltrating E-Rantel had been double-

First, they wanted to get a feel for the daily life in the kingdom, especially what kind of culture they preserved and whatever goods they sold. It would have been unwise to assume that the 'common sense' of Re-Estize's citizens was what they observed in a backwards village like Carne, and even in the scant few hours they had been in E-Rantel this assumption had proven correct.

The second objective was to establish a place from which they could operate safely among society, for both Ainz Ooal Gown and any of the NPCs. What this meant was that Herohero and Momonga wanted to open 'paths' that would let them infiltrate into the kingdom's society. This way, if they wanted to carry out missions either for themselves or their guardians, they had fake identities or cover stories that would work as their own disguise.

The adventurer team of 'Momon' and 'Nabe' was but one of such examples. From their talks with Gazef and the villagers, both players had understood that much like in the game, adventurers were figures of respect and admiration by the general populace. There were many things which an adventurer of great fame could do, and many odd quirks or strange actions from their part were likely to be overlooked, as long as they did their job.

The identity of 'Kazu' was another case of this, but to Herohero it was much weaker. For the moment he wasn't using his name simply because he didn't want to reveal Ainz Ooal Gown's existence until they had firmly grasped their situation and established more talks with Gazef Stronoff and other people who might be related to the Kingdom.

Of course, the players weren't the only ones who had to get their hands dirty. After some more talks with Momonga, the two of them had hammered out a general course of action for the Guardians which they felt were reasonably safe missions that were unlikely to result in making many waves.

Sebas and Solution were currently on standby with Shalltear within the city. Both Herohero and Momonga had agreed that Sebas was a good supervisor and counterweight to the two evil NPCs, and given proper instructions would be able to carry out their task of unassumingly making their way to the capital.

Aura was currently investigating the Forest of Tob surrounding Carne Village, both scouting and making sure that any dangerous monsters did not get close enough to the village to become threats. It was a temporary measure until they understood what exactly were the affairs of the creatures within, but in a way it was one of the most important tasks they'd determined.

In addition, in the last month they had also assigned various tasks to the rest of the Guardians. Mare had been ordered to experiment with growing produce from the New World in the 6th Floor through Druid spells, while Demiurge had been -begrudgingly- tasked to experiment the effects of magic on the few invaders from Carne that they'd retained in Nazarick, with the addendum that the subjects would have to be unconscious and unharmed unless it was truly necessary. Even then Herohero had been reluctant to do the latter, but Momonga had insisted.

 _Mind control, paralysis, insanity… YGGDRASIL had many terrifying ailments and spells. It's not that I don't understand that we should be careful about those, but it still doesn't feel right._

Finally, Albedo had been left behind to oversee all of these procedures smoothly while the two players explored E-Rantel at their leisure. Herohero had been hesitant to leave the guild under such a 'hands-free' situation to that woman, but after a month of coexistence with the Guardians he was willing to trust that she was honest enough with her devotion for at least one of them.

In a way, he was glad. Nazarick was an amazing place, but the truth was that Herohero had been starting to miss some genuine human contact. Mingling amongst crowds had never been his thing as a mostly sheltered person who lived at the edge of his deadlines, but he couldn't deny that there was something refreshing about visiting a city.

However… Was it really right to send the Guardians out so boldly? It was true that they needed to find their friends (if they were even here), but there was something truly terrifying to be said about the kind of destruction a level 100 creature's mistakes could cause. Could they really trust in NPCs that had been created mostly as exaggerated characters in an evil-themed guild?

 _I guess there's no use thinking about it. What's done is done… I just hope it won't come back to bite us…_

"-So, will you be buying these two, sir?" The shopkeeper rubbed his hands in satisfaction as Kazu purchased two of the so-called 'luck charms' from the vendor, who had gone from 'unconcerned' to 'all-smiles' when Kazu used a gold coin to pay for the items, one which looked exactly like those used in the Kingdom. "Also, about your questions from earlier, I'll be happy to help!"

Kazu gave a fake smile and nodded at the vendor, all the while he praised himself for having succeeded in 'minting' the Kingdom's gold coins. Had it not been for the unusual behavior of crafting skills in this world, the two of them might have run into funding issues for their expedition.

Even in YGGDRASIL crafting classes had possessed some unorthodox benefits that other games lacked. As an actual job in a fairly PvP-based MMO where build maximization was an important part of high-level play, taking a crafting class which provided no combat benefits would be akin to suicide. However at the same time crafting was an important part of the system, one which did not deserve to be overlooked.

Without an Alchemist or an Apothecary, one couldn't make medicines or potions. Without a Blacksmith, one had to rely on equipment bought from shops and the enhancements obtained from raw data crystals. Without an Enchanter, one couldn't add bonus magical effects through the use of materials, or break down equipment into the sum of their data crystals for later use. These and many other crafting classes were responsible for enabling the performance of many tasks that were considered crucial for a strong party or guild.

This was why on top of their skills, crafting classes also doubled as jobs that added levels on Combat-based classes. Blacksmith was considered a Warrior-type job, while Alchemist and Apothecaries granted the same stat bonuses as a normal class level of the Magic Caster type.

Having these caster levels did weaken Herohero somewhat in respect to his Monk/Wrestler levels, but after the events which transpired Herohero couldn't be more grateful that he had dabbled in the crafting system.

Strictly speaking, there was no recipe in YGGDRASIL that allowed one to change one type of currency into another… Mostly because the only currency the game used was the in-game currency of coins or cash from the real world for the purpose of microtransactions.

However, even in the game itself it had been possible to make 'new' recipes as one discovered hidden ingredient combinations that weren't given out as quest rewards, or the like.

When he got down to it, minting the coins had been surprisingly simple. All he'd had to do was take one of the coins, figure that the only thing he'd need to make gold was more gold, and that was all he needed for the 'why's and the 'how-to's of the procedure to flood into his thoughts.

He hadn't even needed to take out any tools, the process itself trivial enough that the only thing he needed was a single YGGDRASIL coin to make two of the Kingdom's coins.

With a treasury whose coinage could be numbered in the dozens of billions and an magical box that could turn the weight of anything placed in it to gold, Herohero felt that any of their money problems were officially gone.

Were this to have happened in Earth, Herohero would have probably told his boss to shove all his future work where the sun didn't shine.

"-Did everything go well?" Kazu turned to see the approaching form of Momon and Nabe. While his friend looked the same as always with his armor on, the disguised maid looked considerably miffed, with pitiful eyes that looked as if they could cry. The girl's confused expression only seemed to exclaim ' _what did I do wrong?'_

"-All done." Grabbing the two charms, Kazu threw them at the two adventurers. "You should use them, I think you'll need them more than me."

"Yeah…" Momon replied half-heartedly, pocketing the useless item away where it would rest forgotten until the heat death of the universe.

Narberal's reaction was a tad more enthusiastic.

"A-a gift? From H- Kazu-sama… I-I, Narbe- No, Nabe! I will treasure it for the rest of my life!" Her reaction was a complete 180 from the shopkeeper's offer, as she looked at the crude trinket like it was some god-sent artifact.

"..." Taking his eyes off the absurd scene, Kazu just turned towards the shopkeeper with an expressionless face. "Keep the change."

The stall owner's jaw dropped as the three walked away, leaving the glimmering gold coin on his table.

* * *

"Man, I can't believe the guild's all out of good jobs!" The sound of a chair creaking spread through the floor of the Adventurer's Guild, as the source of the complaint threw his hands up in exasperation.

That day was a boring one for the Swords of Darkness.

As a party of silver-ranked adventurers, they were strong enough to be considered renowned around the city. The team of four not only possessed a balanced party with a strong Warrior and a powerful Magic Caster, but one of their members was famous in the city for having a powerful [Innate Talent].

However, mere strength and fame often wasn't enough to ensure that the livelihood of an adventurer was secure. Most of the jobs that were posted on the Adventurer's Guild were trivial tasks that were easily accomplished by copper or iron adventurers, or truly daunting feats that required the attention of mithril-class adventurers or higher, which often went unanswered for weeks.

For those who were in the middling ground, competing for jobs was a known malady and a source of distress for those who used adventuring as their means to make ends meet. It would even come to pass that mid-ranked adventuring parties would have to wait days until an interesting request for them appeared.

That misfortune was exactly the one that had befallen this party.

"Guess it's monster extermination for us again, huh?" Peter Mork sighed, letting his head rest on the cold wood of their meeting table. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed man was the leader of the team and a fighter of remarkable prowess. His smooth features and fresh face gave him the charisma necessary to act as the head of the team, but out of the four he was also the one with the second sharpest mind.

"Jeez, I've knocked so many goblin heads off with my arrows that it gets old, you know?" Lukeluther stated loudly, acting as if the very thought of repeating the act was an affront to his person. As the ranger of the team, he spent the most time out of the party in scouting and tracking down possible enemies, and he was a very good shot with his bow.

"Hey, it's not bad as long as it brings bread to the table, right?" The one who offered a sensible comment in an attempt to appease the other two was a large man with broad shoulders and a kind, bearded face. He was Dine Woodwonder, the team's Druid and one who specialized at fighting in the wilderness. He was also talented in the use of medicine.

"Why do you guys just keep complaining so much? It's not like it's any different from yesterday…" The fourth and last member of the team mumbled in a soft voice, looking at the others with their round blue eyes. 'He' was Ninya, and he was the Magic Caster of the team who was blessed with the Innate Talent [ **Arcane Prodigy** ], which doubled the speed at which one learned new magic spells.

"No, no. It's exactly because yesterday we had no jobs that this sucks!" Lukeluther said, waving Ninya's concern away while he grumbled discontentedly.

"It can't be all bad right? We might run into a powerful monster this time, instead of last time's cannon fodder. It's happened before, hasn't it?" Peter said, trying to cheer his teammates up.

What Peter was referring was essentially an adventurer's most common job: fighting monsters that threatened humanity. When personal requests weren't available, adventurers always had the choice of going outside the city and running patrols along its outskirts, hunting any monsters that could represent a threat to the city. Depending on their number and strength, the Guild would then offer suitable remuneration for each of the slain creatures.

It wasn't a pretty job and as far as most of them went, it was very dangerous. However, the high presence of adventurers in the cities meant that encounters with overwhelmingly strong monsters were rare, and occasionally these patrols offered the chance of beating a powerful monster that could even merit an increase in rank.

"Hmm…" Ninya's face scrunched up in concentration, before his eyes brightened like stars. "Ah! Like that time with the kobolds!" At his words, the formerly mocking Ranger grew pale.

"Ah, yes." Dine grinned. "I remember we had to pry one of those from Lukeluther before he lost his 'Hyper Arrow' in a most unfortunate way."

"That little bugger got the jump on me, okay!?" Exclaimed the ranger as his legs crossed. "No way I was losing my John to that guy, he was dead already!"

"I don't know, I think you kind of liked it when he was trying to bite you." Peter japed, and all of them started laughing cheerfully.

"Assholes... I was just saying what everyone thought…" Mumbled Lukeluther, turning his head from them. At the same time, however, a smile formed on his lips.

There was no hostility between them, despite their frustration. The four of them were a true adventuring team, and they valued each other as precious comrades. They had only been adventurers for a short time, but they were already as thick as thieves. Between Peter and Lukeluther who were childhood friends, Dine who was one of the friendliest people in the planet and Ninya's cute charisma, they painted a bright picture.

Suddenly, the loud racket of a commotion from below startled them.

"They're making a lot of noise down there." Peter said, turning his sight downstairs with a curious gaze. His teammates leaned back as well, making concerned expressions.

"Should we check it out?" Lukeluther offered, a half-smile on his face while he scratched at his face in bemusement.

In a short moment, the party members nodded at each other and their faces became a little more serious. Leaving their table behind, they took the stairs that led to the first floor of the Guild Headquarters.

" _...stupid. I'm not willing to do meaningless, repetitive tasks like these to wait for a chance at promotion!"_

"Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today..." Peter whispered, leading his comrades to the first floor. The scene they found there made them raise their eyebrows in surprise, as the characters involved were far from what they expected.

"-Even so, I can't let you take this job in good conscience. If it were to fail, then many people would lose their lives." At the Guild's reception counter, the girl currently standing as the receptionist was staring down a huge man in black armor. Even from this angle they could see the copper plate in the armored warrior's neck.

"Hmph." The armored man did not take the receptionist's cool reply well, growling in frustration as he clutched his face with one large gauntlet. His arrogant attitude caused many adventurers to glower at the man, immediately judging his overconfidence despite his own miserable ranking.

The Swords of Darkness were no exception.

"Haaaa! It's just a copper plate? Jeez, what crawled up his ass and died?" Lukeluther's mocking words caused the rest of his team to chuckle, but a swift smack over the head from his leader silenced him. "Ow! What the fu-"

"Shut up and watch." Peter said, transfixed by the scene.

"In other words…" The armored man began. "You aren't confident in our skills because of our rank? That much is understandable, I guess. However, it is not an issue. After all-" Without missing a beat, the menacing fighter turned aside and gestured at the figure which had been hidden from the party's eyes before that moment. "-my companion is a Magic Caster capable of using spells of the 3rd Tier."

The entire room drew gasps.

"A m-magician of the 3rd Tier!?" Ninya exclaimed, eyes going wide. "Impossible-! That girl, she can't be…"

Indeed, the adventurers' faces were wide with shock and disbelief. Casting magic of the 3rd tier was no easy feat- At the very least, those capable of using such spells were commonly known as masters in their trade. Reaching that stage was only commonly possible for mages who were beyond middle-aged or even more experienced. By comparison, the companion that the mysterious warrior had pointed out was…

"Oh wow… She's gorgeous..." Lukeluther gaped at the young girl that was at the warrior's side. The girl couldn't possibly be older than 20, but her body and face alike were beautiful beyond anything he'd ever seen. Her hair was dark, yet it reflected the light with a lustrous shine. Her face was smooth and void of flaws, and the black eyes behind her long eyelashes captured his gaze like a hand grasping his heart.

Feeling the awe which she was being stared at with, the mysterious beauty provided a small, smug smirk that seemed to irradiate contempt towards everyone in the room.

Lukeluther, however, was not intimidated in the slightest.

"I think I'm in lo…" He began, before he was cut off by another chop from Peter. "W-wai- Gaaaah! What the fuck, Peter!?" He complained, glaring back at his leader while he resignedly nursed his head.

"That was for thinking with your dick again. When was the last time you 'fell in love' with a random hot chick? Last month?" Seeing that his friend was getting all worked up for a rant, he quickly shushed him. "Not now you dumbass! Tall, dark and badass is saying something again."

"In addition, I am a warrior that matches Nabe's power. I can firmly state that jobs like these are of little issue to us." The warrior's words caused all of the adventurers to become surprised again, but this time they seemed to accept his words as the truth.

The reason for that was, essentially, his equipment. An adventurer's power was often directly related to the quality of their equipment, because their income was restricted by their rank. Powerful adventurers obtained far more money than those in the lower ranks, to the point that by the time one reached the rank of mithril it was conceivable for them to retire and never have to lift an arm for working again.

In the adventurers' eyes, despite being a copper plate there was no way that a warrior like him would have been able to afford an armor of his quality without at least having the strength of a high-ranking adventurer. Perhaps because of that, they had no trouble accepting the mysterious adventurer's words.

With a confident voice, the armored man directed himself back at the receptionist. "We did not become adventurers to repeat low level missions and earn chump change. With the kind of skills we have, it's only natural for us to seek missions of a high grade. If necessary, we are prepared to demonstrate our power. Can I really not take the job in this case?"

"Hmm… He might be a little confident… But he doesn't seem like such a bad guy." Dine offered, looking at the scene with a perplexed smile. Like his opinion of the warrior, the mood of the entire room seemed to have shifted. The adventurers, who respected strength above all else, had appeared to accept the man's words.

However…

"-My deepest apologies, Momon-sama." Feeling the flow of the conversation shift the receptionist humbly bowed, as she was forced to explain herself. "However, because of the regulations it's impossible for me to let you take this job…"

'Momon' paused at her words, pondering her decision while the magic-casting girl at his side seemed torn between nodding at the adventurers' change of attitude or strangling the receptionist for her insolence.

It did not take long for her partner to slump his head in resignation and accept, however. "-I understand. Then, I will no longer try to take this job."

The receptionist sighed in relief, while Nabe turned towards Momon with shocked disbelief.

"If that's not possible, however, could you help me find the most difficult job for a copper-plate adventurer? There must be other jobs besides those on the board, right?" Momon stated, in a more polite voice.

"Alright guys, follow me." A glimmer of inspiration in his eyes, Peter set out from the party's hiding spot and started to approach Momon. Confused and slightly wary, the other three members nonetheless chose to follow his lead.

"I understand," said the receptionist. "There are indeed other jobs available. If you were to-"

"How about helping us with our job?" Peter's sudden statement caused the two adventurers and the receptionist to start in surprise.

Both his teammates and the warrior 'Momon' looked at the fellow Fighter, shocked by his sudden boldness.

"...Huh?" The warrior's deep voice could only convey his surprise.

* * *

-Abruptly, the ground shifted. The earth itself trembled as a monumental weight collapsed upon it, causing the noises in the forest to come to an abrupt halt.

The source came from deep within the woods, in the vicinity of a wide creek that rested in an open clearing. While it was the naturally beautiful scene of a landscape that bathed in the moonlight and the sparkling water of the river, no sane creature would have dared to wander into the scene.

-That was, because the foul stench of death soaked up the air like the vicious grip of a snake.

" **Ooah… Jug don' want to… fight no more…** " The powerful and deep moans of an agonizing creature reverberated across the creek, as the source of the thunderous noise collapsed on the earth like a boulder falling in a rockslide.

The creature's state was absurd. It was an Ettin, one of the monstrous demi-humans that lived in the freezing hills and mountains close to E-Pespel. As one of the mightiest creatures recorded by the humans, they were a fearsome species that measured over 13 feet in height on average, and unsettled people by the fact that they had two different heads on their shoulders.

In addition, perhaps because of the hostile environments they were raised in, their strength was overwhelming even for other creatures of their height. They could easily break the trunk of trees and use it as their weapon, or destroy a human brick house with a single swipe of their heavily muscled arms. They were so powerful that only a full team of mythril-ranked adventurers or higher could be tasked with their subjugation.

-However, the monster was in a pitiable state. There were open wounds all over his body: his legs were cut up so badly that it was likely he did not have the ability to get up at all, and his chest was also suffering from heavy bleeding. If that wasn't all, there was another wound that would have made anyone lose all hope for the creature's survival.

Far from being the two-headed terror which spread fear across adventurers, only one head and a stump remained attached to the dying monster. Its remaining head simply stared into empty space with an empty expression, too exhausted to even turn its sight.

Suddenly, a shadow approached the fallen monster from the corner of its vision. Realizing what the darkness that was stalking towards him was, its eyes vainly twitched in an attempt to get something out-

-Before the glimmering steel of a curved sword descended on its head, smashing through its skull and swiftly turning the remains of his brain into a gory mess.

"Eugh, gross… It'll take days to wipe the smell of that shit!" Peron complained as he retrieved the falchion from his coup de grace. The invincible adventurer swiped his sword across the air, splattering the Ettin's bits across the rest of his nauseatingly smelly body. Making a face as if he would puke, he quickly stepped off the corpse with a brief jump.

Walking up to the creek, he started washing his blade in the river while sighing. "For all my so-called fame, you'd think my Ranger skills would attract a monster that wasn't one of these fuglies. Finding a damsel in distress should be easier in a fantasy world…" He grumbled about nonsensical things while he focused on giving the falchion its former luster back.

A few minutes later, the sword sparkled as if it hadn't been stuck through the rotten guts of a monster several dozen times.

"That should do it." Sheathing his blade, Peron stretched and relaxed his tense muscles. "Nothing like a good workout after a hard day… Right guys?" The smirking player said, looking back at the area he had left behind.

Besides the dead body of the Ettin, other numerous monsters lay deceased. Though it was dark because it was night, because of the sheer quantity of dead bodies as well as their peculiarity, they were unmistakeable. There were all kinds of species on the pile of carcasses, from Ogres and Forest Trolls to even one of the deadly Hydras, which had over twelve stumps on its mangled neck.

They had all been attracted by Peron's maximized Ranger skill, [ **Lure V** ]. Through the use of this skill, Peron was capable of attracting the presence of monsters over an extremely large radius. At full power it could attract the most aggressive monsters from the very edge of an in-game area. Lured by an extremely sweet scent, the monsters could not help but fall for the bait that had been set up for them.

-In a single swipe, Peron had disposed of most powerful monsters in the zone. These terrifying killstreaks were one of the many reasons why he was called a Demon. There were even rumours that he feasted on the flesh of monsters in order to acquire their superhuman strength.

 _I was just drawing aggro, though…_

"Shit…" He cursed, looking at how high the moon was. "It's still so early? Welp- Guess it's time for another round of stone skipping!" Shrugging in resignation, the disguised Peroroncino abandoned the scene of carnage in order to go back towards the riverbank.

There, he sat down and picked up a stray pebble. Bouncing it up and down on his hand, he narrowed his eyes at the gently flowing current of the wide river.

Swiftly, he released the stone from his hand and hurled it at the river after aiming at the right angle. Amazingly, the stone skipped so many times that it reached the other side of the riverbank, leaving only ripples on the water.

"Hell yeah!" Peron made a fist pump, rejoicing in his success. _I never got that right before all this, but now I always get it on my first try! Thank you, Agility stat!_

As a character of the heteromorphic race, Peroroncino possessed several racial skills that made him different to normal human beings. As his final tier of racial levels, Peroroncino had chosen the [ **Yatagarasu** ] race- Divine bird people who were considered messengers of the Gods.

This race tied him intrinsically to the sun, and allowed him to largely stave off the need for sleep, drink or food through exposure to sunlight. This meant that while he could, and did perform all three of those actions, he needed much less of them than he had as a human being. It wasn't effective in closed-up spaces like dungeons, but Peron had never been in those for anything longer than a few hours in this world anyways.

Because of this, Peron would occasionally find ways to kill time before he finally felt the need to sleep. Besides his usual… Night activities in E-Pespel, he would often retreat to places like these in order to hunt monsters and get some quiet respite.

Despite being a loud and boastful person, he actually enjoyed these occasional retreats. They gave him much needed time and space to think about issues he was normally uncomfortable thinking about.

Issues… Such as those of his friends in YGGDRASIL.

"Damn…! I can't stop thinking about that again!" Peron's joy faded to frustration as the thought sprung into his mind, cradling his face with both hands. _Can it really be true? Did one of them really write that tablet, and…?_

He sighed. "I should really go look for them, but…" Could he really pack up and leave everything to chase after something that might not even be there?

-Suddenly, he started.

"Who's there!?" He yelled, staring straight at an empty patch of greenery in the dark forest. "Alright buddy, you'd better come out before I take this sword and shove it up-"

"Woah woah woah! Calm down, it's just me!" A panicked voice stammered, as the plants near Peron were disturbed by the source's entrance. The adventurer's eyes widened.

"Nale!" The man smiled at his friend with an easy-going expression. Far from being in his pub clothes, the orichalcum-ranked adventurer was dressed in full regalia, clad head to toe in various linked mithril plates that gave him a powerful appearance. With surprising agility for his gear, the warrior slinged his spear over his shoulder and skipped down the rocks to join his friend at the riverbank.

"I figured you'd be here. Couldn't resist making some more monster graves, huh?" The young adventurer's eyes glittered in amusement, and Peron scoffed in response.

"What graves? Those things are just fertilizer." He waved a hand over his nose in disgust. "Sure smell like one, too."

"Fertilizer…?" Nale bowed in his head in confusion, before he shrugged. "There's the fanciest expression for 'shit' if I've ever heard one, friend. Why are you complaining anyways?" He sat down next to Peron, and offered his clenched fist out for Peron to hit back in what the eccentric adventurer called a 'fist bump'. "If I wanted the fragrance of a spring breeze, I sure as fuck wouldn't dump a Troll on the water."

Peron chuckled. "Yeah, I'll burn it later before I offend the God of Pleasant Smells, wouldn't want to be cursed with that guy's smell for the life of me." He took two pebbles, and offered one to his fellow adventurer. "Want to skip 'em?"

The warrior arched an eyebrow. "You mean if I want to get my ass handed to me again? No thanks, aren't Rangers supposed to be the ones that need good aim to do anything properly?"

"Typical Fighter trash talk. As long as you've got a big enough stick you can handle anything, right?" Peron grinned at his friend mockingly. "I shouldn't be the one to tell you this, but you know size isn't everything right?" He shrugged. "Not that you know about 'big' anyways."

Nale's right eye twitched. "Right, and you know that how exactly?" At Peron's knowing glance, Nale crossed his arms in an attempt to restrain the urge to punch his friend. "I don't need your second-rate advice, anyways. I have a girlfriend as well, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." At Nile's surprised look, Peron continued- "Got her twin right here, too!" -By waving his right hand right over Nale's face.

The warrior just gave him a sly look, before the two laughed cheerfully.

"So…" After the two of them had recovered from their comedy routine, the adventurer's face grew serious. "Care to tell me what's got you so down lately?" The formerly joyful youth's brows were creased in worry as he stared at his suddenly still comrade.

At his friend's words, Peron simply looked downcast towards the river. _Can I really tell him about it? Nale's a cool guy, but he… Can he really understand?_

Of course an ordinary man like Nale wouldn't be able to understand completely. The issue that Peron was going through was one that no man could have possibly experienced in his own life, it was simply such a convoluted and fantastic incident that there was no way to explain it without it seeming unreal.

But… At the same time, Peroroncino did feel like he had to get his worries out of his chest. He had just made an amazing discovery a week ago, but still he wasn't sure if he could take the steps to act on it. The idea that he might reunite with one of his friends and talk about the old things, the topics that however the people of the New World tried to they could not understand, was certainly appealing to him.

On the other hand… He had a good life here, in E-Pespel. Could he really afford to leave everything behind so easily? It was a curious thought. A few weeks he had felt like a free soul, unburdened by limits thanks to his incredible power.

-At that moment, however, he felt so small.

"I… Found something, in the last dungeon I went to." Peron sighed. "You know how I never talk about my past with you guys?" At Nale's understanding nod, he continued. "Well… It's about that. I might have found something related to my old comrades."

"You don't mean... Those adventurers you talked about once?" At his friend's nod, Nale's eyes widened. "What exactly did you find?"

"I don't know, it was some kind of tablet. It pretty much had nothing but scientific notes, but… It was engraved with the crest of the old emblem we used to show off to everyone." Peron gave a bitter laugh. "There's no way it could be a close copy, either. The guy that made it has always been a nut for the finer details… He would never make something you could copy by sheer chance."

"So… You didn't find one of them, but you found proof of their presence? Something that hadn't been there before you broke up?" At Peron's hesitating nod, Nale closed his eyes in perplexity. "I see… Still, that sounds like good news for you."

"Yeah…" Slumping his head slightly, Peron sighed wearily. "But, it's just a tablet. What if I'm just getting my hopes up, and-"

"-You should go look for them."

The adventurer's eyes opened wide in disbelief, as he heard Nale's casual reply.

"-You! How can you say that so easily!?" Grabbing the warrior by the collar of his armor, he held him up in the air. "-Do you know just what a snowball's chance in hell I have of finding them? Do you even know how long it could take…!?"

"And…?" Completely unperturbed by the way he was being manhandled, the blonde-haired man continued to reply easily. "They're your friends, aren't they?"

"Dumbass…" Peron growled, almost feeling insulted at how easily Nale was handling the situation. "You didn't even understand what I was trying to get at, did you…? If I just pack up and leave, you guys-"

"Will be perfectly fine." Nale held his hands up non-threateningly. "Peron. Dude. _Chill_. This isn't as bad as you think." Faced with his confident gaze, the player actually hesitated for a moment. "Can you let me down for a second so I can explain?"

"...Make it quick." Peron backed off, complying with the human.

"...Alright." Nale sighed, then fearlessly met Peron's eyes. "First of all, you found this tablet in the Kingdom, didn't you?" He waited for Peron's confirmation, then continued. "Then that means that your friends might still be in it. Even if you haven't heard about them, what's to say they haven't retired or just gone into hiding? If I were you, that's where I would first start looking."

"...I guess you're right…" Peron sullenly agreed. He certainly hadn't thought of it that way- In the first place, he hadn't seen his friends for so long that he had immediately assumed the worst-case scenario. If his friends really were in this world, then that didn't mean that Peron could assume anything about where they could be found.

"Furthermore… What are you so scared of, Peron? E-Pespel isn't going to vanish overnight or anything. You know that we'll always welcome you, even if you go away for five or ten years. Litia might get a little sad, though." Nale winked.

"How can you be so sure about that? Aren't Adventurers only famous as long as they kill monsters for the people? If I suddenly leave on a journey, of course they're going to get mad." He stated, unhappy at the thought of his recent fame vanishing overnight.

Nale simply looked at Peron for a moment, before he did something the adventurer did not except.

He laughed.

Loudly.

"You really have no idea, do you!?" Nale laughed so hard it looked like he was about to cry. "Y-You, just what do you think you've accomplished that would be forgotten so easily?"

Confused about his friend's upset reaction, Peron could only remain silent. "...What?"

"Peron… You're not just some kind of celebrity." Nale shook his head, crossing his arms as if exasperated he even had to explain this. When he next looked up at the adventurer, Peron was surprised at the respect that emanated from his gaze. "You're a hero. You're _our_ hero."

The player stared in shock, as the orichalcum-ranked adventurer walked towards the river with a mournful gaze.

"Alright…" He took a deep breath. "I'm only going to say this once, alright? No repeating myself."

"Before you came," Nale started. "E-Pespel was known as the 'Adventurer's Grave'. There were plenty of powerful adventurers, sure, but there was a hell of a lot of powerful monsters, too. Because our city is so close to a forest, and it's also connected to a mountain range that leads to the demi-human Great Wilds, the surrounding environments have always been plagued by monsters. Monsters which most normal people are incapable of handling."

With a calm expression, Nale stared at the distance as his words continued to flow out. "A lot of newbies would sign up, hoping that they could make lots of money with the plethora of jobs available. Some were in it for the glory, but many just wanted to support their families, as a way to recover from the war."

His face turned grim. "They died. Many of them in their first day. A lot of them in their first month. Not two weeks would pass before my team was hired to take care of some monstrous giant that still had some adventurer bits on him when we killed him. Sometimes I would pick up their plates and personally offer my condolences to their families for failing to retrieve their corpses. Can you even understand how that feels? Seeing that many people run to their deaths, because their only choices were that, the mines or slavery?"

"But… That all changed six months ago." Nale smiled again. "One day, this guy arrived to our city. He was loud, arrogant and to be honest I thought he was really obnoxious. But the first moment an idiot picked a fight with him, he flung him through a wall like he was a ragdoll. That was when I knew that he wasn't like the others."

He nodded to himself, smiling. "I was right."

With that statement, he turned back towards the stunned Peron.

"In only two months, that person did what I thought was impossible. Monsters dying left and right, requests coming and going, all of them solved immediately at the speed of lightning by the same person. Imagine my surprise when the reports came in." Nale chuckled, shaking his head while he laughed.

"Before long, the powerful monsters had completely disappeared from the city's outskirts. For the first time in a while, we actually had to _look_ before anything dangerous popped on our asses. All the beasts that had been the terror of the newbies were now scared themselves, of this obnoxious guy who rolled over anything in his path and cared for nobody but himself. That 'Golden Demon'..."

"That's the hero all of us Adventurers want to be like someday. Past all the mythic bullshit that the temples spout, and the tales of ancient heroes, he's the legend that gives us the will to keep fighting. There's no way we could forget something we hold in our hearts every day." Nale's smile widened into an open grin.

"That's you, Peron."

Absolute silence lorded over the forest for that moment.

"...Heh." Peron shook his head in disbelief, as he tried to wipe some dirt that had gotten stuck to his eyes. "I was right."

"Hm?" Nale looked quizzical.

"I knew you were a sucker for the sappy stuff, you lying bastard." Peron smiled, then started yelling exasperatedly. "Oh well! Since you went and had a boring monologue, that sucked up all the time I had left! I guess I should just leave and start packing up for the next city! Those friends aren't going to find themselves, after all."

"Heh." Nale picked up the spear he'd stabbed into the riverbank, and after starting at Peron for a good minute finally turned his back to walk away. "I was going to dump you after saying that, anyways."

"Hey, Nale?" Peron's voice spoke all of a sudden, in a more reserved tone than before.

"Yeah?"

"...Thanks."

"Just don't forget to tell Litia goodbye. Don't blame me if she jumps you on the road." Without looking back, Nale raised his arm and gave his friend a thumbs-up.

 _...I'll miss you, you magnificent bugger._

* * *

Lizzie Baleare was currently, as one would word it crudely, in the 'zone'.

"Ooh, this is amazing!" The old lady squirmed with joy, as she fiddled with the controls of a strange tool that she had over a table. The invention itself was an idea of the 'Boastful Sage', a historical figure that had changed the status of humans in the Minotaur Kingdom from livestock to slaves, and had inspired many inventors to develop countless magical tools for all kinds of industries.

This one was a 'magnifying lens', which allowed one to observe tiny details about things. It was currently a primitive design, but according to the Boastful Sage once developed enough it would reveal the existence of a whole different world.

"T-Truly, this is it! A true healing potion!" What Lizzie was observing with this tool was the liquid of a potion that she had recently learned about from an iron-plated adventurer. Unlike common potions however, this was one potion that Lizzie had devoted much of her life towards discovering.

A healing potion made solely through magic, that acquired the color of the blood of God. That was what a 'true' healing potion was supposed to be.

Having learned from the girl -Brita, the old woman recalled- that this potion had come into her hands through her interactions with another adventurer, Lizzie had offered the girl a sizeable sum of money in exchange for a sample of the potion's alchemical liquid as well as information on the mysterious man himself.

Having learned that such man was currently heading to the Adventurer's Guild, she sent her grandson Nfirea to talk to him and see if he couldn't find out the secret behind how he'd acquired such a potion. It was a rather underhanded gesture, but it was ultimately harmless and finding out could only do them good.

-Suddenly, a loud knock caused the apothecary to look up from her job.

Frowning, the old woman left her workspace and headed towards her store's closed door. "Showing up now of all times… Just who is it?" Muttering discontentedly, the aged magic caster raised her hands to turn the doorknob and started opening the door.

As it creaked loudly, Lizzie slipped past it to look up at the one who'd knocked. "Yes?"

"Hello, are you perhaps Lizzie Baleare?" The old woman analyzed the man in front of her.

His tone was polite and friendly, but there was something about his presence that she couldn't quite pinpoint. His clothes spoke volumes of his wealth, their high quality and fine texture like nothing she had ever seen. He was currently fiddling with a magic item that Lizzie recognized as a pocket watch. While spring-driven variations did exist, that one was enchanted to function permanently without the need of human interference.

"Yes, that I am. I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, mister…?"

"Please," he said, storing the pocket watch somewhere within his robes. "Call me Kazu, if you will." He stepped inside the store, and a wary Lizzie closed the door behind him.

The man's eyes quickly flew towards the apothecary's stalls, looking over the countless ingredients that littered the store. His expression was one of curiosity and intrigue, as if he was seeing something marvellous.

Lizzie coughed. "Forgive me, but is there anything I could do for you, Kazu-san?"

"Hmm…" The man turned towards her, crossing his arms in thought. Finally, he replied. "Actually, yes. I do believe there is something you could help me with."

"Tell me, Baleare-san." Looking at the short woman, Kazu's glasses seemed to reflect the light in an ominous way. Behind them, Lizzie caught a glimpse of purple eyes that seemed to exude emptiness.

"Have you ever heard of the term, 'an offer you can't refuse'?"

The woman gulped.

* * *

As night fell, the time for the creatures of the dark to rise arrived.

"Kaji-chan~ Are you here?" A sing-song voice echoed through the halls of the inner shrine that existed within E-Rantel's cemetery. Its source was a girl of around 20 years, whose beautiful face did nothing to conceal the sheer malice that resided within her gaze.

Deep within the depths of this place where the dead were laid to rest was the heart of a sinister plot. Brewed amidst the shadows, those who worshipped the ultimate darkness gathered to desecrate all that was holy. Even as the girl made her way deeper inside the structure, the walls and masonry of the structure started to reflect the evil gathering within.

She descended a long flight of aged stairs, their pallid stone feeling as if it could crumble at any moment even from her feather-like weight. The room at which she finally arrived would have brought the heart of a normal man to a halt. The profane rituals that had been performed had left their mark on the air, and despite the fresh ventilation there was a stale pressure in the air that could send shivers down the spine.

"Hmm, hmm, hmm~ I spy with my little eye, someone who doesn't want to come out!" The cloaked girl stepped forwards, a nasty expression on her face as her red eyes zeroed in on a single part of the room. She ignored the blood-stained floor and the bizarre tapestries which hung on the walls, instead focusing on the silhouette of a person she had detected spying on her.

"Now, don't be shy~ Just tell me, is Kaji-chan here?" She stepped closer to the concealed figure, who was revealed to be a shaking man of surprisingly young age. The man was trembling at the sight of her, instinctively afraid of the woman's intimidating presence as well as the metal that he could glimpse behind her cloak.

"Huhu~ A scaredy cat, aren't you? Don't worry, I won't bite…" The blonde girl's eyes narrowed menacingly, as she licked her lips. "...Much."

"I-I… I don't-"

"It's fine." A voice echoed from the darkness, as its owner wandered in from beyond the veil of shadows. "You are dismissed." He waved his arm at the young man, who gratefully fled the scene.

The man who had spoken was a skinny figure wearing the dark robes of a magic caster. His body was completely void of hair, and the skin of his flesh seemed as if stuck to his bones with no fat or muscle in-between. With a collar of animal skulls, long rotting nails and an elongated face reminiscent of a skull, he looked less like a person and more like an undead creature.

"Hi there, Kaji-chan~" The woman sensually glided towards the man, her face plastered in a smile of sick pleasure.

The man who was so presumptuously called 'Kaji-chan' frowned. "I thought I told you not to call me by that name. It tarnishes the name of our glorious Zuranon."

Zuranon.

That was the name of the organization of magic casters that pulled the strings from the shadows. Until recently, they had been the greatest force of evil acting within the human nations, and were considered hostiles by all of the governments, to the point they were called 'enemies of humanity'.

In the name of power, revenge and countless other sinful reasons, Zuranon had desecrated countless tombs and caused countless deaths through dark rituals pertaining to the undead, fiends, and other revolting aberrations. Led by a circle of veteran magic casters who had mastered spells of the 3rd tier or higher and a single leader whose background was shrouded in mystery, they were a fearsome organization.

"Aww, don't be so glum Kaji-chan~"

"Hmph." 'Kaji-chan' glowered at the woman. Resting his weight on the long wooden staff he carried, he spoke to the malicious girl. "Why are you here? If you haven't noticed, I am busy infusing negative energy into the Pearl of Death. If you're simply here to raise trouble, I have no qualms with removing you from this scene."

The woman arched an eyebrow. She had expected such a reaction, but she didn't imagine he would be so confident about his power. Smiling nonetheless, she gave a small smile to the suspicious necromancer. "Aww, don't be so mean~ Just look at the neat little thing I brought for you, Kaji-chan!"

From within her cloak, what she took was a crown. Like a spiderweb of silver jewels, it was a beautiful artifact whose jewel of purest black at the center betrayed the malice hidden within the item.

The magic caster started. "Th-The Crown of Wisdom! How did you get such a thing!? This is one of the Slane Theocracy's most prized treasures!"

The girl gave a shrill laugh, like that of a demented hyena. "You're right~ I just happened to be wandering, you know? And then I bumped into this weird girl~ She kept staring at me with this empty gaze, but she sure shocked me! I didn't expect she would go absolutely insane after I took her crown, you know~?"

The necromancer grit his teeth, aware that the act the girl had committed was no jape or trivial task.

The Crown of Wisdom.

It was one of the Slane Theocracy's most prized artifacts, which was used in grand ceremonial rituals by a human sacrifice called the 'Miko Princess'. Only one in 10,000 people were capable of using such an item, and even then the cost of its use was very steep. Those who wore this crown lost all their will and become nothing more than a magic item capable of channeling high-level spells.

Removal of the Crown would cause the bearer to instantly become insane. There was no way to prevent this, other than possibly destroying the crown itself. Such was the tragic nature of the item in the girl's hands.

"But, to think I betrayed the Black Scripture to obtain this trash of an item… Haah, I wonder if Onii-chan is mad at me~?" The girl wondered, resting her free hand on her face with a cute worried expression.

"Calling it trash is a bit much, don't you think so Clementine?"

"But it really is trash, you know? Compared to the divine artifacts left behind by the Six Gods, it's a worthless piece of junk. Ahh, if only I could have retrieved one of those…" She muttered sullenly, ashamed at the thought she hadn't gotten to steal the most prized treasure in the Theocracy.

" _Actually, I must disagree. I find that item quite interesting._ " A new voice suddenly echoed, from everywhere and nowhere at all.

Clementine stiffened. She hadn't detected any presences besides that of the necromancer and the man that had already left. "Oooh~ Who's there? Kaji-chan, have you been hiding something from me~?"

'Kaji-chan' laughed. "Oh, have I been found out? No matter." Looking at the empty air, the magic caster spoke. "You can come out now, **Delas**!"

Suddenly, a foreign smell wafted into Clementine's nose. It was the smell of fire and brimstone, a nauseating aroma that did not belong even in this desecrated shrine. Before her eyes, space itself seemed to briefly distort before a blazing orb of fire took its place. Even though it was yards away, she could feel the intensity of the heat and by the necromancer's reaction, he could feel it as well.

From the intense flames stepped out a peculiar man. Dressed in crimson clothes embroidered with gold, he had the handsome face of a young adult. However, his ashen gray hair and pitch black eyes gave him an unsettling aura that warned there wasn't something _right_ about the man who had appeared so suddenly in the middle of a profane site.

"Good evening, young lady." The man bowed crisply, gazing at Clementine with his piercing eyes. "I am the one known as Delas, and a… Contributor of sorts, to Khajit-san."

"Ehh~ Who's this guy, Kaji-chan? He creeps me out, gross~" Being stared at so intensely, Clementine made an effort to tease the man by pulling back. However, the mysterious man seemed unaffected.

"Delas is an envoy from an ally of Zuranon's. That is all you need to know, Clementine. Furthermore... It is because of him that success in this festival of the death is assured." Khajit gave a dark smile, looking at Delas with a gaze of malicious joy.

"Please, you flatter me Khajit-san." Delas smiled pleasantly. "I am only carrying out the will of my Master, whose authority is supreme over my own. It is to Him who you should direct your thanks."

"Eh~ What's with this ass-kisser, Kaji-chan? I don't like him!" Clementine complained, while inwardly her warrior's eye was analyzing the mysterious Delas. The truth was that the girl was extremely cautious about the being, because she couldn't estimate his strength. That was why she was recklessly trying to provoke him, just to see how he would react.

Finally, it seemed that her words were working.

"Ass-kisser?" Delas growled. "At first your words were endearing like those of an unbalanced child, but your attitude has started to tire me woman." Aggravated, the man took a menacing step towards the girl, which caused her muscles to tense in anticipation for a fight.

Watching with wide eyes at Delas' reaction, Khajit wisely chose to step away from the budding confrontation.

"Oi, oi~ What's with that shabby reaction?" Clementine sneered, lowering her body as the hand behind her cloak silently reached out for one of her long daggers. "What could you possibly do to dear old me~ Are you going to call your Master to beat me up?"

That was the breaking point.

"Call him…?" Delas bowed his head, letting the shadows darken his face while his entire body started to tremble. He chuckled, but his voice was neither amused nor joyous. "No, in fact… I have a better idea…"

" **I'll just deal with you myself.** "

"Wha-!?" Clementine barely turned in time before the man's hand closed around her throat, lifting her up into the air. She watched in abject shock as the figure of the Delas that had been paces away simply vanished into the wind. "Y-you…!?"

With lightning-fast reflexes, Clementine withdrew the dagger from her cloak and tried to stab it through the man's skull, but-

" **[** _ **STUN**_ **]** "Like a concussive wave, the man's word of power exploded inside Clementine's brain. Her wide eyes became unable to blink as her body sagged visibly, completely unreceptive to her commands.

" **What did you think you could possibly accomplish from challenging me, mortal?** " Clementine could not respond, but her eyes could only tremble as she saw the true presence that lurker behind the guise of a human. The creature's pitch black eyes had expanded to the point the white of his eyes was almost invisible, and his immaculate teeth now looked like the vicious fangs of a shark.

Lowering the girl who behaved as if she was a ragdoll, Delas brought his demonic visage closer to the girl, meeting her despairing gaze with his massively empty dark orbs. " **That's quite the exquisite look on your face…** " His grin widened into a toothy sneer, one far larger than humanly possible. " **...But I find the scent of your soul far more appealing.** "

" **Lust, Wrath, Greed, Pride, Envy, Sloth… Oh, and even a Gluttony of sorts! You are quite the feast for sore eyes, little girl.** " From the monster's jaws, a long tongue slowly licked at Clementine's face, as if savoring the taste. " **You even betrayed your comrades, who you swore to aid before all of your Gods… Oh, a blasphemer, a heretic and a capital sinner in one go! What a delectable combination!** "

" **Truly, you are a rotten woman.** " The unholy evil creature's face got closer to her, his fangs drooling over her neck. " **Just… My…** _ **Type**_ **…** " The motionless Clementine could only watch as the terrifying monster's maw opened, his fangs closing in on her throbbing bloodstream…

...Before Delas suddenly drew back, and flung her away like a ragdoll. " **...Is what I would say, if my Master hadn't ordered me to preserve the lives of you worms of Zuranon.** " Lowering his visage to the woman who was only just beginning to regain her motor skills, he grinned widely as his human features started to return.

"Aren't you glad that the same being you mocked is the one responsible for sparing your life?"

There was a sharp whistling sound, and the noise of steel driving its way through flesh.

Delas looked down, towards the long mithril dagger that was buried through his heart. He proceeded to completely ignore the wound, and simply stared down at the glowering Clementine with an expressionless face.

"...Go to hell, you monster." Clementine managed to cough out, as she nursed her wounded throat and barely returned to her feet.

Delas pried out the mithril dagger, staring at it with curiosity before he shrugged and dropped it back at Clementine's feet. "Good attempt, mortal. Next time, you should try using a holy weapon. That might be slightly more effective than your little toy."

He then turned towards Khajit. "You have quite the amusing human as your ally." Reaching out to one of his pockets, he withdrew the crown that Clementine had been holding and spun it around the air. "I trust she is a valuable asset?"

"How I wish it weren't so…" The necromancer sighed, depressed.

Clementine gaped at the creature that had defeated her so easily. Short of the Extra Seat of the Black Scripture, she had never witnessed such an overwhelming power. Just who was this?

"Regardless, it seems that she did genuinely have a plan to use this item she happened to collect. Will you be using her, Khajit-san?" Delas inquired, seemingly completely unbothered by what had happened.

"Provided she states her plan…" Khajit started saying, noticing the woman was sauntering towards them.

"What~? Of course I will! I'm not going to let one spoilsport ruin my fun~" _Two can play the ignoring game, you infernal bastard._ With a dark glare, she set her gaze on the monster in the guise of a man. She didn't know what kind of creature could wield that much power so easily…

...But there was one thing she was sure of. This monster had humiliated her…

-And she was not one who would leave a debt unpaid.

"Good." The monster smirked at her. "It doesn't matter how the plan changes, as long as the goal remains the same." The elegantly-dressed devil extended his arms, as his boastful voice continued to echo through the shrine. "To spread chaos! To sow the seeds of despair and fear across the hearts of the weak-willed! To let their evil fester at the roots, and blossom into beautiful flowers of crimson blood!"

With a truly evil smile, the monster taken straight from the pits of Hell smiled down on the two mortals. "-For that is the will of our lord, the King of all Fiends, the **Demon King**! Follow his will, worms of Zuranon, and I shall give you all you desire to carry out this festival of death!"

The fiend laughed darkly, before the two mortals which had been robbed of their voice.

* * *

 **Next:** _A Party's Bonds_


	9. A Party's Bonds

**Author Notes:**

 **Volume 9 has been translated completely, so go read it! It has some really interesting information concerning Momonga's strength and YGGDRASIL players in general, as well as an Intermission concerning some characters that will pop up later in this story.**

 **Also, I'm sad to say that Alternate Universe as this is, the story probably won't even be remotely related to the series of events that will happen in Volume 10 of the Overlord Light Novels. Surprisingly the focus of the volume was somewhat similar to my own, but since there's nothing we have to go by for anything that's not fifty miles from the Kingdom's borders, what I may end up writing about it will likely have nothing to do with canon.**

 **Additionally, I seem to have dropped the ball pretty hard with Herohero. I couldn't find any lore into what an Elder Black Ooze was in D &D, but that's because they are actually referred to as a Black Pudding. Yeah… Pudding. You know, I think I'm just going to stay with the background I made up for his race because being a mindless pudding sounds pretty bad as far as racial skills go.**

 **As a final note I'm going to be busy as hell these next few weeks (I already am oh god why do I keep writing). Don't be surprised if no updates whatsoever come until mid or late December.**

 **Anyhow, here's the next chapter.**

 **Chapter 9:** _A Party's Bonds_

 _How did this happen…?_ Momonga lamented his fate, wondering just what had he done to deserve this.

"Is everything alright, Momon-sam- san?" Nabe voiced with concern, trying to console the disguised magic caster amidst the racket that the five humans were raising with their incessant chatting. _Foolish mosquitoes buzzing around Momonga-sama's ears. If I could, I would…_

"Hm? Yes, I'm doing fine." ... _Not._ Momon felt the urge to sigh, but knew that to act so callous and disinterested could attract animosity that wouldn't really help his case.

In hindsight, what had happened wasn't bad. The only reason Momon was uncomfortable with the current state of affairs was because it had developed entirely outside of his expectations.

His attempt to collect a decent job to start Momon's ascent to fame after he had made the notoriously green mistake of forgetting to take a scroll of _Comprehend Languages_ with him had worked out… Kind of.

Though it seemed that he would be at first restricted to mere copper-rank jobs, he was instead approached by a band of adventurers that called themselves the Swords of Darkness. They were a team of four, and they had raised an interesting proposal to Momon- Join them in their patrolling of the city's monster-populated outskirts, in hope that they could find some kind of powerful monster and earn a lot of merits and a good monetary reward.

Upon hearing the explanation behind this bizarrely familiar practice, Momon's interest was definitely piqued by the possible rewards. As a general job any adventurer could do, the rewards obtained for beating monsters weren't restricted by adventurer rank and thus anyone could theoretically rise in status and wealth by vanquishing a powerful monster, provided they had the ability to do so.

After considering the group of adventurers and finding that they were, for all their boisterous acts, not entirely unpleasant to hang around with, Momon had grudgingly agreed to join their party. Fighting alongside adventurers of silver rank shouldn't be too bad, anyways. It proved that they had a decent amount of experience and wouldn't entirely be dead weight.

However…

The way things had played out… Wasn't exactly as planned.

"Come on, Momon-san!" Nabe gaped when one of the adventurers patted the dark warrior on the back, said warrior moving to cover the human when the smell of ozone started to flow into the air. "It isn't every day one's services are requested by name, you know? And by what a guy, too!" Lukeluther grinned. "You might even be a celebrity now!"

"You! How dare you tou-" Nabe started, but was interrupted by a swift bonk on the head by the mighty player's reflexes, long since having acquired practice on the act by then.

"Is that so? That's good to know…" Momon sighed out, as his eyes drifted to the one person responsible for the uproar in the first place. _So that's Nfirea Baleare, the one who can use any magic item without restrictions…?_

To say that the boy's appearance was unexpected would be an understatement. Far from showing the signs of a mighty magic caster or the tells of a stereotypical prodigy, the boy was shy as a shadow, and the way he carried himself spoke of either strong self-esteem issues or some inherent health problem.

Not that he didn't have his own strengths. His ridiculous magic talent was certainly one, but Momon had been surprised to learn he was a talented Magic Caster on top of an apothecary and herbalist capable of making healing medicine. Easily achieved in YGGDRASIL, but as far as this world's standards went Momon judged it to be on the level of the extraordinary.

He was also pretty in the girlish sort of way, but he didn't really care about details like those even if he felt slightly jealous.

"Nfirea-san, is there any particular reason you wish to visit Carne Village?" Ignoring the ranger at his back for the moment, Momon approached the quiet boy, who jumped when his attention was called.

"Ah… Well, the truth is that I'm also going there to visit… Someone…" Nfirea fiddled with his fingers, blushing at the mere of thought of admitting that he might hold a crush for someone.

 _Hrk. He might be disappointed if they're dead…_ The thought was somewhat troubling to Momon, although simply because he simply had no way of knowing how the boy would react to the attack in Carne Village. At the very least Momon felt pleased that whatever happened, Ainz Ooal Gown's grip over Carne was strong enough that they would be prepared for anything.

When Nfirea Baleare had suddenly barged into the Adventurer's Guild wishing to request a job for Momon by name, he had been momentarily scared that he or Herohero had been somehow found out and that the boy was the hook for the bait into an ambush. However, after hearing an explanation for what the boy wanted as well as receiving information from the Swords of Darkness, he felt that the job was worthy of looking into.

Essentially, he would be escorting Nfirea to the village and later to the forest in order to collect several herbs that the Apothecary was in sore need of, while performing the duties of a bodyguard. Having been told they would be rewarded handsomely for taking a route they were likely to do anyways, Momon's temporary party members had been eager to accept.

" _Momon-san, this is a great chance! A request by name is really amazing!"_ Peter had said.

" _Indeed. If you wished to acquire fame, Momon-san, this would be the fastest way to do it."_ Dine had helpfully chimed in.

" _As expected of Nabe-chan's partner! Good job Momon-san!"_ Lukeluther had clapped.

Ninya had simply stared in shock.

 _Still… Isn't this just babysitting?_ Looking at the pharmacist, Momon couldn't help but shake his head. Escort missions had existed in YGGDRASIL as well, but in a VRMMO they were one of the most annoying tasks, considering there were all kinds of monsters whose abilities were capable of tearing you into bits provided you weren't prepared.

Shaking these thoughts off his mind, Momon turned his head up to address the situation. They had just exited the gates of E-Rantel, and were escorting a large horse-drawn carriage used by Nfirea to carry their adventuring supplies as any of his belongings, which spoke volumes of the apothecary's own wealth.

They were currently acting loosely, but the plan was that they would shortly fall into a formation the moment they entered dangerous grounds where monsters could be encountered. For the moment, Momon could only see as the Swords of Darkness exchanged japes and cheerful words with the party.

It was good in a way. Looking at the way they treated each other, Momon was reminded of his own days of adventuring. The way they casually spoke of encounters against dangerous foes and tried to make light of their dire situation, it was almost the same as the almost regular mocking of the game enemies that some of his guildmates would take to whenever they wandered into a dangerous area.

Feeling that the mood had struck him, Momon suddenly felt an urge to contact his teammate. Excusing himself from the Swords of Darkness and Nfirea, he retreated to the back of the carriage as he prepared to use the [Message] spell.

" _Herohero-san, are you there?"_ Momon waited for a response.

He almost stumbled when he heard the vague sounds of crackling thunder and explosions slipping through the channel. _Is it even possible to hear this kind of stuff!?_

Just as Momon felt he was being rused, Herohero's voice finally manifested itself. " _Momonga-san! Hahaha, sorry about that. I was just running some tests."_

" _...Should I be concerned?"_ Momonga asked, half-worried about what kind of trouble his friend could have possibly gotten into on his own.

" _Ah, it's really nothing. Well, actually it's kind of amazing, but not in a bad way or anything!"_ Herohero said, his words oddly charged with vitality. Had the time spent without working on deadlines actually made the slime more cheerful? " _I know this might confuse you, but remember the last shops I said I would check out before we split up?"_

" _The Special Tools shops… Right?"_ Momonga remembered how there had been a few shops placed in the wealthier areas of the city that had been pointed out to them by several citizens, since they had expressed an interest in magic items. If Herohero's excitement was anything to go by… " _You found actual magic items?"_

" _Exactly! It's incredible, Momonga-san!"_ Herohero confirmed his friend's thoughts cheerfully. " _Apparently there's a lot of goods whose ideas were imported from a mysterious 'Boastful Sage' that lived in this world centuries ago. There's magic watches, fridges and kitchen tools, even flashlights!"_

Momonga almost stumbled back from the news. " _Seriously!? H-Has their magic really gotten that impressive?"_ He intently listened to his friend's explanation. Apparently Herohero had talked with some of the shop's owners, and he'd learned that the magic involved in their creation was actually fairly low leveled and they did not actually rely in the [ **Create Magic Item** ] spell.

Could they replicate these magical items that Herohero had investigated? If they had originated from a player's ideas and later harnessed as magic by the New Worlders, then it was only natural that they turned it for their own use. Such actions would surely strengthen Nazarick.

After having received Herohero's status update, Momonga replied in tandem by explaining his own circumstances.

" _I see… Sounds like you're having fun too, Momonga-san."_ Herohero said in a happy tone. " _Once we do get settled in, I guess going adventuring might be fun…"_

 _It'd be fun if you were here right now._ That was the dark thought that Momonga had desperately tried to contain, but could not denounce as false feelings. He'd already backed down on this topic, and he didn't want to trouble his friend with such a petulant mindset when he was clearly trying his best to fulfill their aims from another angle.

" _Still, that boy… If he's related to the old Baleare-san that runs the apothecary, this might be a good chance for us."_ Had he possessed the blessing of eyebrows, Momonga would have raised them.

" _You know Baleare, Herohero-san?"_ He asked in bemusement.

" _I've heard about her. She's highly respected in the city, and almost nobody would stop talking about her when I prodded them about alchemy."_ Herohero's words turned rather insightful. " _I was thinking, from the standpoint of a company (_ Nazarick _), that we might be able to make her our business partner."_

Momonga almost stopped walking.

" _...Haa!? Business Partner? That's... "_ But Herohero's words did make sense. Their knowledge of this world was still poor, and having insight on the economy and availability of medical goods might help them see just what items and abilities from YGGDRASIL could be used safely under a guise, and how effective they could be if taken to the field.

He wasn't certain as to what the influence of the Baleares was, but from their own estimations E-Rantel was a rather massive city, with over a hundred thousand inhabitants. If you considered their wealth and skills, striking a deal with them might indeed prove resourceful.

There was only a slight problem, however...

" _And how would you approach this deal, Herohero-san?"_ Momonga asked warily. If Herohero said something such as 'full disclosure as a sign of trust', even he would be forced to reevaluate his friend's skill and firmly reject his idea.

" _I was thinking about prodding initially as 'Kazu', keeping the guise of a wealthy foreigner. Those are classics, aren't they?"_ Momonga nodded along, but was rather surprised at Herohero's next words. " _I think if we assessed them to be good guys though, exposing ourselves in the same way we did to the villagers should be fine. There's no need to frighten them, after all."_

" _...You're surprisingly diplomatic, Herohero-san._ " Momonga could only acknowledge his friend's words. For all of Herohero's weary, sickly demeanor in the game, he hadn't expected such sharp charisma from the reticent slime.

" _I'm not sure if it's because of this body's vitality or if my leadership classes from high school are coming back to me, but I think I'm starting to cope with this world-jumping business."_ Were Herohero able to convey images, he would have probably bobbed his head.

" _Anyways, if this works I think I'd be able to research a lot more into my crafting classes, and we might even find a way to slip into the markets. What do you think, Momonga-san?"_ Herohero proposed, ideas in his mind waiting to be released.

Momonga looked at Nfirea, who was timidly talking with the Swords of Darkness. A timid, soft-spoken young boy who yet hid a tremendous latent potential and a genius talent.

"... _I think it's a great idea, Herohero-san. Then, good luck."_ Momonga said politely, feeling that he'd likely exhausted most topics by that point in the conversation.

" _Thanks. Let's meet up after you're back in E-Rantel, and go over what we've found out, alright? Sorry about leaving Narberal in your hands… It must be tough, right?"_ Momonga coughed, sputtering that he was fine even as he didn't deny anything. Knowingly, Herohero continued. " _...Alright. Take care, Momonga-san."_

" _Y-you too."_ Feeling the [Message] link finally cut, Momonga let out a long sigh.

"Momon-san!" The player jerked his head up at the voice of Peter, who had broken up the casual air around their team and was currently bossing them around. "Sorry to inconvenience you, but we'll be getting into formation now." He gestured at the looming shadow of the forest, which marked the beginning of possibly dangerous grounds.

"-All right." He answered easily, and stepped closer to the back of the carriage, where Nabe sooned joined him. Glancing at the maid in disguise, he thought that she appeared irked. _Is she alright…?_

"That mosquito…" Nabe grumbled, biting one of her nails in frustration as she hatefully glared at the ranger in the front. As if by magic, said person turned and grinned at her meaningfully, which caused the part of the carriage she had been holding onto to splinter from the force of her hand.

Giving a bitter laugh in his head, Momon silently turned his eyes up to the rest of the team. Herohero's words lingering in the back of his mind, he finally let out a sigh he had been containing since he left the gates of the city.

 _Adventuring, huh…? I can only hope it will actually be fun… At least we're only protecting a single person. With a full team like ours, and mine and Nabe's abilities, we should be able to take it easy…_

It was just a trip to the outskirts, to a place Momonga had already cleared of any credible threats.

Just what on earth could possibly go wrong?

* * *

"H-how can this be…?"

Lizzie Baleare had received the biggest surprise in her life for the second time. Her eyes were wide open in shock, as she stared at the items that her mysterious guest had left on the table.

"Ah… Is something wrong? Have you… Perhaps never seen a potion like this before?" Herohero asked, worriedly furrowing his brows.

"I-I saw it!" Lizzie raised her voice, the intensity strong enough that he wondered if she had an extra set of lungs. "I saw it already! Once! That's exactly the problem with this!"

Lizzie almost felt as if she would faint, unable to believe what had happened. It had only been a day ago that she had received evidence of the existence of a true healing potion of legends, which were filled with a mysterious and unknown alchemical liquid known only as the 'Blood of God'. The price of such a potion that could not be replicated through normal means was exorbitant, it involved a manufacturing process that many apothecaries would sell their soul to obtain.

That one could have just dropped on her lap should have been impossible, much less two of them.

-However, clearly outrageous coincidences like those could become true. After all…

...That was the only way to explain the dozens of potions that had been dropped on top of her counter.

Lizzie took no time to appraise them all. What she saw almost made her faint. There were potions that enabled flight and other magic effects of the 3rd tier or higher, healing potions that were so potent that they turned anything she had ever created into mere first aid, and even elixirs that had the ability of healing any disease or magic ailment. Any of these were incredibly valuable- To have them in their possession could easily allow one to surpass the abilities of a third tier mage or cleric without any spellcasting talents.

"How… How did you obtain this?" That was the only thing Lizzie could whisper, in her awe-filled trance.

Herohero frowned. He had made sure to only bring the lowest-quality potions he kept in his inventory. Were they really all that rare? Suddenly, the excuse he had thought up before seemed a lot more flimsy.

Nonetheless, he at least had to try. "Well, I am a merchant from a foreign land. Where I come from, such goods are commonplace. I thought-"

"Impossible!" Lizzie slammed her hands on the table, making the player wince. "There's no such land! Not even the Slane Theocracy possesses such high quality potions readily, and none of the other human nations are more advanced! Magic items of this power could only be found in the desert city to the south, and even then potions of this caliber would be rare!"

Herohero's mouth shut tight, as he contemplated the apothecary's words. Clearly he had underestimated the woman- She was as intelligent and wise as her age would imply, and he should have known that without any ground to stand on an excuse he had just made up would have little chance of standing up to scrutiny.

"Please, Kazu-dono!" He was suddenly shocked when the old woman leapt over the counter and bowed to him in a pleading voice. "Please answer my question! I will pay you anything you wish for!"

 _How did the conversation become so heavy!?_ He looked down at the apothecary with wide eyes, wondering how exactly this had gone awry. His idea had been to present his goods as some kind of exotic magic items from a distant land, but he had been completely unprepared for the way Baleare had reacted to his offer.

"...You're awfully eager to learn that answer." He spoke carefully, trying to keep himself calm from how pathetically the woman was prostrating herself. "Why is that? Are these items really so profitable, or do you wish for money so much?" His words weren't hostile in the slightest. He was merely assuming that the reason the woman was overwhelmed was because the items would hold a high value in the market.

"Money…?" Lizzie's eyes widened. Was that what the man thought of her? That the reason she was interested in learning his secrets was for the acquisition of wealth? "How could I want such a thing!" She yelled, denying it vehemently. "Me and my grandson have a good life already. That is not why I wish to obtain the secret to these potions!"

 _She sounds really passionate about this!_ Herohero was taken aback for a moment, until he repeated himself. "...Then, why?"

"I'm an apothecary." Lizzie started, the weight of her years evident in her voice even as she did not budge an inch from her prostrating stance. "All my life, I have worked on creating medicine for the good of the people. It's true that I charge for my products, but I never cheat." Her hands trembled, as she simply poured out her maladies to a stranger she barely knew. "I've done everything I can to make the best potions I could- Potions that could save lives whenever possible. ...But, it's not enough. It wasn't enough."

Herohero felt nervous, sensing that the woman's tone was growing sadder with each second. "Actually, I-"

"Even though I tried my best, my works couldn't save those who I loved." A single tear fell from the old woman's cheek. "My daughter died from a monster while adventuring, while her husband perished soon after in the war. I have raised my grandson ever since, hoping that if I teach him my arts he will never suffer from such pain himself. That's the reason."

Her wrinkled hands balled into stunted fists. "Please, Kazu-dono. If you know a way to find the one who made these wondrous items, if there's a chance for me to better myself even slightly…" Her head touched the ground. "I beg of you, tell me."

When silence stretched out across the room, Lizzie shivered. Fear grew in her heart, as she realized how impolite she had been and what she had said to the man. She knew at that moment that she was going to be rejected, and couldn't help the mounting despair that this chance of a lifetime would slip from her fingers.

However-

"-I made them."

 _Eh?_ Lizzie's eyes blinked wide open, as her head snapped up from her position. The man's purple eyes met her own, their intentions unreadable by their emptiness.

"Like I said… I made those potions." Herohero stated warmly, as he knelt down and stretched his hand out to the old woman. "Please, there is no need to bow like this, Baleare-san. That's not how one treats their business partner, after all."

"Business… Partner?" Croaked out the apothecary, as the slime in disguise helped her to her feet. "What… What do you mean?"

Herohero laughed awkwardly. "The reason I tried to came in as a merchant was because I wasn't sure if you could be trusted. But since you poured your feelings out like that, I'm fairly confident in telling you the truth." His face turned serious. "The truth is… I'm an alchemist. Making potions is kind of my job."

"I don't understand…" Lizzie said, confusion filling her voice. "If you're such a magnificent alchemist, then why come to this place at all? With a business proposal, no less?"

He frowned. "Because I've been holed up for most of my life in a tiny bit of living space trying to carry out my job," _and wasn't that the truth_ , "which means that my knowledge of the outside world is very poor, Baleare-san. I have no understanding of what methods you use to create your own medicines, and I thought that we could exchange ideas."

He smiled then, before the disbelieving store owner. "In exchange, all I would ask of you is that you kept this knowledge secret and that if our joint efforts made anything interesting, that you'd agree to our request to either not sell it or to partially share any profits with us."

"I-I see…" The woman stumbled out, mumbling thoughtfully. She was smart enough to understand what the man was getting at. He was willing to share his methods, but they should never spread out beyond the offer he was proposing. Looking at the quality of the potions, she could only imagine the lengths that the hermit would go to prevent their theft…

"So… Deal, or no deal?" Herohero said, trying not to let the expectation into his voice.

"...I believe I have no choice." Lizzie sighed, but then she smiled at the strange man. "Then, please take care of me Kazu-dono."

"-Please, Baleare-san." The eccentric man smiled, as his glasses reflected the light. "Call me Herohero."

* * *

 _Why the hell is this happening!?_ That was what Momon thought, just as he blocked another earth-shattering swipe from the offending monster's gigantic club. He winced at the disgusting smell that exuded from the creature's smelly body.

The putrid-skinned monster known as a Troll roared, trying to overcome the warrior's guard with relentless swipes of the club in his hands. However, Momon's magic swords easily resisted the strength of the giant creature and he easily continued to intercept the beast's blows. Nonetheless, even he felt that the monster was strong enough that he couldn't take it easy in his current state.

"Is this really a normal encounter!?" Momon shouted as he kept the enemy at bay, looking back towards his fighting companions.

"Of course not! Does a Troll look normal to you, Momon-san!?" Shouted Peter, fiercely locked in combat with a towering Ogre who wielded a similar blunt weapon to the Troll. He was using the martial art [ **Fortress** ] to soak up the damage from the Ogre at his front while also dealing with two others that were attempting to flank him.

Somehow, the situation had degenerated into this. Goblins and Ogres had been something that the Swords of Darkness had expected, after all they were one of the most common demi-human breeds around. However, they had been entirely unprepared for the force that had suddenly decided to ambush them.

There were at least thirty goblins, tiny little green-skins that were known for their viciousness and savage ways; twelve ogres, even uglier than their tiny counterparts and possessing great strength that made them a credible threat to adventurers; five barghests, savage magical creatures that resembled wolves with chains wrapped around their body and strong enough to be a match for silver-ranked adventurers; finally there was a Troll, a terrible being whose body regenerated any damage not caused by fire and acid while they wielded the strength of an Ogre.

Looking less than a band of hunters, what they encountered was more of a war party.

Were it not for Lukeluther's ranger skills, their team would have been surprised by the overwhelming monster horde. As it was though, they had accepted they had no choice but to fight, as flight would have been impossible from their distance. They barely had the time to hammer out a battle plan, before the monster party jumped out of the forest and charged straight towards them, bloodlust in their eyes.

Nabe's first lightning spell hit them hard, the bolt of electricity having cleaved straight through one of the barghests and disposed of three of the ogres in a single casting. Unfortunately, this also caused them to split up, thus making her later spells less effective.

At least their reaction had been as expected. Two of the Barghests had turned towards Nabe and had dived straight towards her while the Troll had started lumbering towards her, when Momon intercepted the two dogs and disposed of them with almost contemptuous ease. His swords had easily cleaved through the metal chains they used as armor like a knife cut through butter.

The next moment, he had found himself engaged in a deadly match against the Troll, which brought him to his current predicament.

"Nabe! Concentrate on helping the others! I will handle this one alone!" He bellowed, as one of the Troll's swings finally went wide. Seizing the chance, his arm moved with superhuman speed and he easily tore through the monster's club-free arm in a single swipe. The limb spasmed as it fell on the ground, even as the stump left behind started pumping rotten tissue to mend itself back.

"Understood!" Nabe replied, as she stuck her sword through the heart of yet another filthy goblin. She growled at the pesky threats, finally jumping over the carcass of a charred ogre after disposing of most of her engaged foes. Dashing towards the fierce combat near the carriage, she started casting a new spell.

The Swords of Darkness were dealing with the bulk of the 'lesser' foes. In order to protect Nfirea they had fallen into a semi-circle formation around the carriage.

Peter was busy soaking up the attacks of the remaining Ogres, many of which had been felled by Nabe's continuous magic bombardment. He was not only using [ **Fortress** ] to reduce damage received, but due to the seriousness of the situation he had also been forced to use the draining martial art, [ **Cleaving Slice** ]. It allowed him to strike at multiple enemies with impossible reach as long as they were close enough to each other, and it was how he was dealing damage to many of the ogres at once.

Ninya was doing his best to support him, repeatedly casting offensive magic while taking care to renew whatever enhancements were on his body. With access to 2nd-Tier Magic, he was capable of casting useful buffs such as [ **Lesser Strength** ], [ **Lesser Endurance** ] and [ **Barkskin** ], which enhanced Peter's capabilities as a warrior. He would also occasionally fire a [ **Magic Arrow** ] or another attack magic at either the Ogres or the Barghests harassing the party.

Lukeluther looked none-too-pleased as he fell back to his usual duty of wiping out any meddlesome goblins that got too close to the group. His nimble fingers raced through his quiver as he planted solid shots on the goblin's heads, occasionally taking out his sword to dispose of one of the little runts whenever they got too close.

"I swear I'll get them back for this…" He muttered angrily as part of his coat was splattered by putrid goblin blood, ensuring that his clothes would be smelling for days on end.

Dine had successfully managed to capture one of the Barghests in his trap, having used a Druidic spell to entangle the wolf monster in a cage of vines, that constricted its entire body. The other Barghest was one he was busy handling, and going through quite some pain in doing so. As a credible threat to a silver-ranked adventurer, Dine was sweating heavily against the beast's ferocious movements and thought he might be forced to use his [Wild Shape] skill in order to overcome the foe.

-However, at that moment…

"[ **Lightning** ]!" A fulminating burst of electricity momentarily blinded Dine's vision, before he blinked and saw the Barghest collapse in defeat. "[ **Greater Magic Weapon** ]!" The next moment, his mace started glowing with an aura of powerful magic.

"Thank you, Nabe-san!" Dine said behind his back, as he advanced upon the helpless Barghest with the magically supercharged mace, not knowing that Nabe's high level made it so his weapon received a ridiculous damage bonus. He figured it out eventually, because upon mere contact with the creature's head it exploded into a shower of gore.

His eyebrows shot up.

"Nabe-chan! You showed up to help us!" Lukeluther grinned even as he shot down another screaming goblin, blushing at the woman whose stare was cold as ice.

"Shut up, insignificant life-form that is lower than plankton. You also stink, filthy insect." She said without so much as a pause as she calmly ignored him and walked right past him.

"Ahhh! Nabe-chan's so cold…" Lukeluther lamented, before an odd look showed up in his face. "But that's why I love her, eheheheheh…" He laughed like a perverted old man even as his hand moved unconsciously to kill another goblin, who had been torn between stabbing at his leg or humping and _then_ stabbing his leg.

Meanwhile, Peter and Momon continued their deadly dance of swords. Faced with five different Ogres, even the magically enhanced Peter was being pushed back. He moved swiftly, blocking the ogre's club swings with the blunt of his sword and taking care to mess up their movements by making them step on each other. However, he only had so much stamina and though one of the Ogres appeared to be close to death, two of them were still fresh.

 _Alright, I've had enough!_ Pulling back from the troll, Momon suddenly used a powerful swing with both swords to strike at the towering creature's weapon. The attack was successful, to the point that the Troll's improvised weapon shattered into bits. The wounded Troll could only stagger back as Momon swiftly recovered from his attack and pounced on the huge creature.

A second later, Momon's swords tore wounds across the earth as their course bisected the Troll in half. The creature collapsed to the ground, defeated but most likely not dead. Nonetheless, it wouldn't be getting back up any time soon.

"[ **Displacement** ], [ **Haste** ]!" Peter blinked when he felt power course through his body. The Ogres suddenly seemed confused, unable to distinguish between the real Peter and the after-image that had superimposed over himself. However, Peter clearly understood the feeling behind being buffed and swiftly charged forwards with his sword raised high.

The Ogres did not stand a chance, faced with someone who had been buffed by spells of the 2nd and 3rd tier. With Haste's ability to attack twice as fast, Peter's weapon turned into a storm of blades that swiftly found the throats and hearts of the towering beasts. Most of the Ogres' attacks went wide and missed their mark, and whichever hit successfully were knocked away by the still active [ **Fortress** ] ability.

Eventually, the final ogre fell with a thunderous crash. Standing over their corpses, the warrior couldn't help but breathe heavily in exhaustion after having fought so many strong enemies at once. He sighed, feeling the mounting exhaustion but refusing to give until the battle was definitely over.

The silver-ranked team leader addressed the situation. Most of the dangerous enemies had been slain, and all that remained was the vanquished troll that was trying to put itself back together… As well as five goblin archers that had stayed behind to support their allies.

Said five creatures paid a single glance to the way the battle had developed, and did not take long to turn their backs on them and start making a mad dash for the forest.

"Do not think you can get away." Feeling a voice pass by him, he found that Nabe had walked all the way to the front and was stretching out her hand, holding out a single finger. Quickly, it began to glow with a dangerous, scathing light.

"[ **Twin Maximized Magic: Scorching Ray!** ]" From the magic caster's fingers, six different rays of fire spread out. Five of them pierced through the goblins, instantly pulverizing them into cinders while the final one reached the Troll and turned it into a small pyre, finally slaying it for good.

There was a thick silence on the battlefield, as the final enemy collapsed.

"Holy shit…" Peter finally managed to get out between gasps. "We won. ...We won!" Lifting up his arms, he threw his hands up and shouted with all of his voice. " **We did it!** "

Everyone joined in his victory cry.

* * *

"Cheers!"

Four cups clinked as they rang against each other, and after raising a toast their owners quickly downed the tasty contents of the beverage, gasping as they felt the warmth settle in their bellies.

"Man, what was up with that fight!?" Lukeluther complained, even as he grimaced at some of the bruises the horde of goblins had left behind. "Nfirea-san, didn't you say the crazy King of the whatever was keeping the monsters at bay?"

The boy blushed, looking down at his cup before speaking with bemusement. "The Wise King of the Forest, and yes, until then I was fairly sure that he was still living in the area. But…" His gaze turned worried. "Now I'm not so sure. As territorial as he was, I don't think he would ever let a party that large approach the edge of the forest."

Looking up from the full mug he was unable to drink, Momon couldn't help but feel dry towards the current topic of conversation. _Wise King of the Forest? Is that really the name they gave to that Hamster?_ There was no way he could take their words seriously when he thought back to the kind of creature that had been 'protecting' Carne Village.

"You don't think Carne Village's in danger, do you Nfirea-san?" Peter said, his voice growing a little serious even as he continued to drink from his own mug.

"I hope not!" Nfirea quickly reacted, sounding slightly panicked. "I'd hate it if anything were to happen to that village…" He continued, and for a moment Momon froze. "And anyways, I'm sure Enri's parents would warn me if anything bad happened to the village, so they should be safe…"

 _Enri… Was there a girl like that in the Village?_ Momon thought back to the conversation with the chief in Carne Village, and he could've sworn that he had heard the name before. However, he kept drawing a blank.

"Alright, alright!" Ninya said, trying to cool down the conversation. "Enough with the heavy topics. So, do you guys think we got any stronger from that fight? Maybe we might reach gold-rank just yet!"

"If you ask me, Peter and I are already gold rank." Lukeluther boasted, placing a hand on his chest. "I'm strong, brave, charismatic and smart to boot! If it weren't for me, you guys would have all been ambushed!" His words caused everyone to twitch, including Nabe who watched him with an incredulous expression. "As for Peter…" He shrugged. "He hits hard I guess. Fighter hit big guy with stick, big guy get hurt."

"Oho? Then I guess the dumb Fighter should step down and let _you_ become Leader?" Peter waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "I'm sure you'd love working through all the paperwork concerning our requests. In fact, there are these outdated documents that I think you should take a look at…"

"What a funny joke, oh glorious leader!" Lukeluther said, stiff as a board as he downed another mug. "There is nobody under heaven and earth better suited for the task of taking us to victory!"

"Alright guys." Dine stepped into the circle, holding a large cauldron filled to the brim with a tasty-smelling broth. "Dinner's ready. Who wants the first serving?"

"Me first please!" Ninya beamed cheerfully, always eager to taste the D(elightful soup).

"Can it! I'm the one who spent all day killing goblins, I go first!" Lukeluther stepped in, determined to get the most amount of meat.

"This is troubling, I can't have you fighting like this. In light of this, I will have to use my right as Leader to get the lion's share!" Peter stated seriously, a fire burning in his eyes.

As the Swords of Darkness got into a fight over who would eat first, Momon looked on with a nostalgic impression. Over the silhouettes of the band of adventurers, he thought that he could see the barest traces of his old friends. Remembering when they had spent long nights under beautiful lands like these, he couldn't help but feel a sense of longing.

Having found evidence that his friends might be out there had been the best thing that had happened to him. He was sure that if he hadn't met Herohero, this scene would have left a void in his heart. When he had realized that none of his friends were coming back to play with him in YGGDRASIL, Momonga had been crushed.

He had relished days like the ones the human adventurers went through- Many years ago, back when YGGDRASIL had just been starting and Ainz Ooal Gown had been nothing more than an idea in the making. Together with eight others, Momonga had gone through countless adventures across the colorful virtual reality of YGGDRASIL.

It was in those times that Momonga had made his first true friends, people who he felt understood him and could relate to his problems, even those that he had shared in real life. By some form of freak coincidence, all of them had been running jobs at the time, even the youngest of them. He formed ties not only with their avatars, but also with the people behind the screen.

-That was why he had felt devastated when he thought they abandoned him.

However…

That didn't matter anymore.

The shadows of his friends that had once filled him with grief now shone as beacons of hope. Looking at the bonds that these people had with their comrades, filled Momonga with a determination to find his own.

"Momon-san?" He blinked, realizing that everyone was staring at him.

"What?" He asked curiously.

"Ah, no… It's just… You were laughing out loud." Peter said politely. "We were just wondering what it was."

Laughing? Had he really been so happy?

...He guessed he had.

"I was just thinking of my teammates. You guys reminded me of them." He said, and the adventurers started in surprise.

"Momon-san has teammates? You mean, besides Nabe-san?" Nfirea asked as he leant forwards, expecting to hear some kind of story.

"...Yeah." Momon sighed. "We weren't adventurers, but we still travelled to many places together." His words were heavy, as he turned his head to the sky. "We split up, though, and now I'm not sure where they are. The reason I became an adventurer is because I want to travel the world and look for them."

 _Land, sea, and sky. I'll traverse through the entire planet as many times as it takes._

"That's very admirable of you, Momon-san." Peter said kindly.

"Alright!" After a brief silence, Lukeluther stood up. "Since Momon-san told us why he's become an adventurer, why don't we tell him our reason as well? Come on, Peter! Take it out!" He egged his leader on, while everyone sighed collectively.

"Can we finally drop that?" Ninya said exasperatedly. "It was just a dumb story, anyways…"

"That won't do, Ninya!" Peter waved his hands around dismissively. "As Leader, I take pride in preserving the cultural heritage of this team and by extension so should you!" Grinning, he then started ransacking his rucksack. "Alright, Momon-san. You're going to love this."

Finally, he drew an ornate black shortsword with four gleaming gems at the hilt. "This is it, our team symbol. It's just a trinket, but there's a great story behind it." He looked at the blade, gazing at it with a strange mix of mirth and emotion.

"You see, 200 years ago, Thirteen Heroes rose to fame. Of these, there was one who stood out in particular. He was known as the 'Dark Knight', and his legend tells…"

* * *

Meanwhile, in the city of E-Rantel.

"Gh…" A man stumbled, watching as the sharp point of a blade poked through his chest. The offending weapon had pierced right through his heart, but even so the man had been mortally wounded minutes ago. A small yet callous hand sneaked up his bleeding chest, finally reaching his face as the source of his demise approached.

Soft lips approached his ear, as they whispered a final message to the suffering adventurer. "Good night~" The girl softly bit at the dying man's earlobe, before she yanked the stilleto off his chest and pulled the silver plate out of his collar, letting him collapse to the floor where he met his end.

"Booooring~ Killing time like this just _sucks._ " Clementine whined, twirling her bloodstained sword before started wiping it on the dead man's clothes. "It's not fair. I came to meet Nfirea-chan and he just ditches on me by leaving the city! How could I get dumped, just like that~"

"Are you done playing around?"

Clementine froze, then groaned at the voice of the speaker. Turning around, she addressed the interloper with a venomous voice, her frustration clear.

"Piss off. I don't want to talk to any of that bastard's goons." The figure frowned, apparently taking offense at being called a 'goon'. His skin was a sickly blue shade and he was oddly thin, but his green eyes pulsed with the same maliciousness as that of Delas. Behind him stood several figures cloaked under hoods, who were content to observe the conservation from a distance.

"I am his comrade, not a goon." The man glowered. "I am more than capable of beating you, and then going on to wipe the rest of this miserable country. So do control your mouth, little girl."

"Yes, yes. You tell yourself that." Clementine said in a bored tone, as she walked past the shadow-clad hooded men. "I'm done with these losers, anyways. I already _befriended_ one of them, after all, so I don't need them at all~"

"Wait." The monster in disguise stopped the girl before she could leave. "...If you make a ruckus, just know that we will stop you. You may rampage to your heart's desire when the plan is carried out, but if you dare ruin this chance to prove ourselves to the Archfiend…" His eyes flashed. "We will show no mercy."

Clementine grit her teeth for a moment, then simply started walking into the darkness. As a final parting gift, she raised her hand and presented the shape-changed devil with a 'friendly' gesture.

He shook his head, dismissing the offending digit with an annoyed expression. Flicking one of his long, bony fingers he made the rest of the hooded figures follow him, as he moved to dispose of the bodies and return back to their headquarters.

"...Bitch."

He still couldn't help but take a dig at the infuriating mortal, however.

* * *

 **Next:** _Reunions and Meetings_


	10. Reunions and Meetings

**Well well, it's been a long time hasn't it, o readers of mine? I'm happy to say that finals are finally done, so I'll be able to place my focus on writing this story out once again. However, despite there having been a long break between updates there are a few things I'd like to discuss with you.**

 **When I started writing this, I was fairly sure that the story wouldn't read like the original material if I didn't place emphasizing on the Japanese honorifics and the way that everyone seemed to naturally use them when speaking. However, now that I've thought it through I don't think they add that much to the story and would much rather do without them. What do you guys think? I'll write this chapter with honorifics added just in case, but depending on popular opinion this might be the last chapter that uses them.**

 **Also, my memory is a bit shoddy since the last few chapters' events, so if you notice any inconsistencies feel free to point them out and I'll try to rewrite the chapter to address them.**

 **Chapter 10:** _Reunions and Meetings_

"It's so good to see you again, Enfi!" Enri smiled brightly, clasping her hands over those of his friend as she eagerly leaned over the table. "I missed you."

"Y-you too..." Nfirea stammered out weakly, cheeks so red that it looked as if steam would blow from his ears at any time. "I'm glad that you're okay, Enri. Though, about your dad..."

"Yeah." The village girl looked down, saddened by the loss of her father. Over a month had passed since the attack on the village by the 'Imperial Knights', but the aftershocks of the attack continued to linger in the village. People were finicky and wary of anything that crossed their path, some had even been traumatized and flinched at the slightest touch.

In hindsight, out of the village's survivors Enri's family had come out of the incident fairly well. Due to the intervention of the heroes that called themselves Ainz Ooal Gown, two of their lives had been saved from the brink of death and while the pain remained, at least Enri could draw comfort from her mother to mourn her father's passing.

"I… I never thought that he'd be gone so soon." For a moment, Enri's hands trembled over those of Nfirea. "He was always there to cheer us up, you know? He told us that his daughters would grow big and strong like him… That's not something you're supposed to tell your daughter, right?" She giggled for a second, blinking back tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Enri…" His excitement over the situation faded, as his heart twinged with sympathy for her crush. It was unbelievable, that moments ago he'd been wishing nothing happened to Carne just for his hopes to come crashing down when he learned of the attack. His parents had died when he was young, so he couldn't understand how losing a father must be like. However, he could only imagine how he would react if he saw his grandmother killed before his eyes.

"I'm okay." Enri shook her head, demonstrating her nerve when she stopped trembling. "Nemu's the one who was shaken the hardest. I can't just let Mom handle both of us being wrecks, so I have to be strong for them!" She smiled with confidence that didn't reach her eyes.

Right then Nfirea wanted to tell her that she was wrong. He wanted to shout that she shouldn't have to bear such pain by herself, to gather her in his arms and to share in everything that caused her sadness, if it would make her happy again. If it were for her sake, then he would even swear vengeance on the knights that attacked the village. He'd seek them out to the ends of the earth, and he would do all this because he loved her. But much as he wanted to say and do all this, he knew that he couldn't.

Because it would mean taking a step he wasn't ready to make. Admitting the truth of his feelings, with Enri like this… He didn't know what could happen, not like this. If he ended up breaking the bond they'd had since childhood...

He shuddered. "Enri, I'm sorry." Taking a short breath, he tried to seek Enri's eyes but quickly found interest in the table when he felt her gaze. "I-If there's anything I can do for you, if anything else bothers you… I-I'll do everything I can to help you, alright!? Y-You can rely on me." His cheeks burned, even as he cursed himself for spouting such a lame line that in the end didn't fix anything.

His friend, however, reacted positively. "...Thanks, Enfi." She smiled, more genuinely this time. "You're the best friend one could ever ask for, you know?"

 _Oh you're her friend alright. Just her best friend, that's all you are, isn't it Nfirea?_ Contrary to the dark thoughts in his head, Nfirea merely nodded his head. "Don't mention it, alright?" He gave wry smile. "After all, weren't _you_ the one who cheered me up all the time back then?" He said, bringing up memories of their childhood together.

Enri laughed, music to Nfirea's ears as her gloomy tone was replaced by mirth. "That's right! Enfi was such a crybaby back then, wasn't he?"

Even as he sputtered out a denial, he couldn't help the smile that blossomed on his face as Enri began to recall the many incidents that had gone by in their childhood.

-After their encounter with the band of monsters, the Swords of Darkness had only engaged in minor skirmishes as they approached Carne Village. Interestingly enough, the strength of the creatures faded the closer they got to the village to the point that the last few miles were completely devoid of the presence of monsters, even though they were constantly bordering the files of trees.

Even more surprising had been the presence of walls in Carne Village. Of course, all cities tended to use walls to fortify themselves against outsiders and a few lucky villages also happened to share such structures, but Nfirea had never seen such a thing around the village. That they had been erected on a month in a village with a single carpenter was shocking in the first place, yet that had not been what he had reacted to.

Nfirea had never held a high opinion of Goblins. Filthy smelling creatures whose savage ways led them to gather as tribes that lived by raiding human settlements, rare were the humans who held sympathy for the creatures. However, the Goblins that were guarding the gates of the village were completely unlike any he'd ever seen.

They were no savages, as their calculating eyes told when they halted the adventurer's passing. Their equipment, while lacking in magic items, was definitely of high quality and not the garbage that Goblins would either make using primitive tools or get by looting the corpses of their enemies. Moreover they were disciplined, spoke with only a slight accent and were both calm and polite.

That they called Enri their 'Big Sister' only added to Nfirea's confusion.

Suddenly, the noise of a loud impact shook Nfirea from his musing thoughts. "What was that noise!?" The shock of the sound had been enough to rattle the furniture on the house, but rather than be intimidated by it Enri just stood up from her seat with an exasperated frown on her face.

"Give me a second, Enfi." Stomping her way to the entrance of her house, she threw open the door and yelled. "Pino, are you misbehaving again!?"

" _Pino_?" Nfirea asked, completely bemused as he looked out the door as well.

His jaw dropped.

At first, he thought that the party he'd come with was engaged in battle with some kind of terrible monster. Seeing the villagers nearby, including Enri's sister and mother staring at the scene, he was momentarily overcome by panic. He was about to pull Enri back and shout at the villagers to flee, but-

"Fuck! Get him off me!" A muffled voice exclaimed from beneath the huge beast's silhouette. When Nfirea took a closer look, he realized that the source was really Lukeluther, the Swords of Darkness' sole Ranger. His upper torso was visible, as with his fists he kept trying to pummel the creature's head.

"I don't know, I think you make a great pair like that." Mocked Dine, as he stepped out of the way of the behemoth monster's flailing tail. The rest of the party laughed loudly, while Nabe stared at the scene with an unpleasant smile and Momon cradled his head with both hands.

Nfirea couldn't understand. The creature before him couldn't be called anything but the most terrifying of monsters. Its long, serpentine body was covered in thousands of purple, armoured scales that gleamed in the sunlight. It had a dozen legs, each of them strong enough to draw gouges on the ground. Its head was reptilian, even draconic in shape as it bore a maw with rows of jagged teeth and an impressive crest of scale and bones at the top of its head.

It was over forty feet in length, long enough to crush a small house between its muscles, and looked heavy enough to flatten a cow. Forget about towering Ogres or Trolls, by physical appearance alone this creature would give them a run for their money and Nfirea could tell that even beyond that this creature had a truly terrifying power. Taking into consideration all of this, the creature's actions…

...Made absolutely no sense.

The monster whined, as it finally stopped trying to lick Lukeluther's face off his head with a tongue longer than his arm. Its head rose in tandem with Enri's warning voice, and with a few stomps that Nfirea felt all the way from his house, the beast released his grip on the adventure and directed itself towards the girl that called it.

To Nfirea's further surprise, it did not do this by walking but rather by pulling its legs back and slithering along the ground, as if it was a snake. He would have thought further on this, were he not _terrified_ out of his mind that the beast was coming straight towards them.

"Wh-What the hell is that!? Enri, get-" But as Nfirea hurried to warn his crush, he stumbled as Enri not only brushed him off but advanced towards the creature, hands on her hips. Words left him, as the confused Nfirea could only watch as the one he loved stepped towards her doom.

The terrible creature rose as Enri approached, raising its head from the ground far enough that it towered over Enri-

-Before the girl brought her hand down on its snout, and the beast's entire body doubled back as if whipped. "Pino!" Enri exclaimed hysterically. "Just look at what you did to the grass! Everything's a mess because of you!"

Nfirea's brain shut down. _That thing is '_ _ **Pino**_ _'?_

'Pino' let out another cry, head bowed as it nudged its lowered head towards Enri. Despite its beady eyes seeking forgiveness, the girl huffed and crossed her arms with a scornful expression. "None of that! I told you not to jump around, didn't I?"

Pino whined again, though its rumbling voice made it far more imposing than it had any right to. It rolled on its back, all ten meters of it turning as it exposed its belly while lifting a large cloud of dust. Its legs poked uselessly at the air, as it continued to look up at Enri with its haunting gaze.

"Geez…" Enri sighed… Then realized that her friend currently resembled a statue more than a man. "A-Ah! That's right, Enfi never met Pino after all! Nfirea, this is Pino." She gestured at the immense beast like it was a common sight. "He's our house pet… Snake? Lizard? I'm not sure."

"Where the hell did you get that thing, anyways!?" Lukeluther exclaimed, trying to use a rag to wipe himself of the creature's spit that dripped from all over his coat. "That thing's like you took a snake and a dragon, put them together and come out with a freaking dog!"

"He's weird…" Enri sighed. "He's really excited whenever he's up, but he likes to sleep around for most of the day. He eats so much, too! The only reason we can feed him is because he hunts on his own."

"I-I think he's cute." The compliment came from Ninya, which elicited cries of shock from her comrades.

"No, but… Enri." Nfirea approached, still looking at the monster with an expression between complete puzzlement or abject terror. "How did you even find this… thing? Where did it come from?"

"You could say, it was a gift." She clasped her hands, looking at Nfirea with a sparkling gaze that could only sprout from admiration. "Pino's a gift from this village's saviors, Ainz Ooal Gown!"

"Oinz Al Goon?" Lukeluther deadpanned. "What the hell kinda name is that?" He suddenly felt a shudder go through him, and instinctively turned to regard Nabe, who was giving him a profound glare that promised nothing but hell. _Was it something I said?_

"Ainz Ooal Gown? Who are they?" Nfirea asked, having never heard before of such a name. From Enri's words however, it sounded like they were an organization of some sort.

"They're adventurers! At least, that's what I think they were…" Enri scratched her head. "Anyways, remember the goblins? Those guys appeared because of Ainz Ooal Gown as well!" Grabbing at her neck, she showed Nfirea the small horn that was tied to a small necklace. "Momonga-sama, a powerful magic caster, gave me two of these. I used the first to summon the goblins that are protecting the village."

"Wow, looks like a magic caster stole your thunder, Momon-san!" Peter joked, to which Momon replied by giving a sordid, awkward laugh. Inwardly, the disguised warrior was about to experience a nervous crisis.

 _Momonga? The names are similar but…_ Nfirea shook his head. "And the… Lizard thing?"

If it were possible, her eyes brightened even more. "That was Herohero-sama's gift! It's in my house because it's pretty big, but it's basically this big horn that summons Pino to me whenever I sound it!" Her lips tightened for a moment, before she smiled again. "He's a bit of a troublemaker, but he's still amazing!"

"Yeah… That I can see." Nfirea voiced numbly. Suddenly, a thought wandered into the boy's head. "Did these Ainz Ooal Gown people give you anything else?"

Unnoticed by the rest of the adventurers, Momon froze like he'd been thrown a bucket of cold water.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. They gave me this red healing potion that managed to heal me in an instant! I was surprised because it wasn't like your grandma's potions Enfi, but they worked just as well… Enfi? Are you listening?"

He wasn't.

Nfirea was too busy staring with wide eyes at Momon, who appeared to have realized the intensity of his stare and had gone very, very still.

Just like that, all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

 _Fuck._ Momonga thought, just as his mind buzzed with the presence of an incoming message. His mind still troubled as it desperately tried to come to terms with the realization that the boy he thought was dangerous had figured him out, he barely managed to establish the connection successfully.

" _Momonga-san? I think I made a mistake…"_

 _Oh. Well, that's good._ Momonga thought snidely.

At least he wasn't the only one that had dropped the ball.

* * *

"Amazing!" Lizzie exclaimed, holding out a newly-made potion in her hands. Within the vial, a thick red liquid glowed visibly. "You really are able to make such potions!"

Herohero scratched his head. "Yeah… That was interesting, to say the least." It was incredible, just how natural the manufacturing process of the potion had been to him. None of the actions he'd taken resembled the ones from the game, after all. It wasn't so simple that he'd accessed the menu and chose what to make between a list of recipes.

In YGGDRASIL, craftable items came in certain varieties. Some were so trivial that they could be made anytime, anywhere as long as one had the materials. Others needed the use of lighter, portable tools while items of the highest complexity needed stationary crafting workshops, such as the ones in Nazarick. In addition, as the quality of the item increased, the crafting levels in that class that were required went up.

While the process he'd used to mint the gold coins were something he could do purely with his own body, creating the potion had required the use of the 'Alchemical Toolkit' he kept within his item chest. This was to prevent people from constantly making potions in the middle of a fight, and were generally accepted as far as constraints went.

However, in the game there had been little explanation as to what said 'tools' did, at least in the case of the crafting item he had used. Despite this, in the process of demonstrating his abilities to Lizzie, Herohero had gone through several different tools within his kit, which looked more or less alien to him yet he could swear he knew how they worked down to the bone.

The most interesting detail that Herohero could tell from how alchemy had transitioned into this world was that everything felt more _real_. Whatever he'd done to distill the potion, it had all been paced through several sequential steps. From making the alchemical liquid (which only required water and some salts found in the apothecary), to boiling the substance and then injecting magic power into the formula, Herohero had felt that even the slightest alteration in the process could have disappointing, maybe even disastrous results.

If he were to be honest, he felt like he was back in Chemistry class, making soap or turning dust into crystals while the professor hung behind him and warned him not to drop anything. It had been decades since high school, but he couldn't help the mental image. In hindsight, his professor would likely foam at the mouth that something as unreal as 'magic' was even slightly like his own subject.

"So, did you manage to catch anything from that?" Herohero said, looking at the once blank book that had Lizzie's notes scrawled all over it. _Interesting to know that they already have a printing press. That might be thanks to the Boastful Sage, as well_ …

"Yes, yes! Actually, we didn't know that such a high temperature was needed in order to inject the mana into the liquid! Furthermore, those tools you used looked to be of very high quality. Are those methods all from the place you were living in?" Lizzie inquired, not taking her eyes away from the potion.

"That's correct." Herohero nodded, then made a troubled expression. "Also, about your earlier question…" He remembered Lizzie's frustration when Herohero had been unable to properly explain the 'why's and 'how's of his crafting methods. It was weird, the muscle memory was all there but he could hardly find terms for what he did until he was doing it. Because of this, he had been unable to detail to Lizzie how to replicate his crafting methods.

"...I can't very well explain what I'm doing because I learned what I did through magic. It's all very natural to me, but in the end it's just artificial knowledge. So it's not that easy to place in words." It was the truth, at least. Herohero didn't think there was anything more magical than suddenly having the magic equivalent of a PhD just because of game levels.

"It's quite alright. I'm just glad that at last there's someone with an answer to the questions our society has been asking themselves after all this time." Lizzie put down the potion, and then looked back at Herohero. "By the way, are you perhaps acquainted with a warrior in black armor?"

Herohero's eyes went wide. "You know about Momon-san!?" _That's way too fast! How did she make that connection so easily?_ "C-could I ask why you think we're related?"

Lizzie sighed. "That man also carelessly handed a potion identical to yours to an adventurer girl, apparently as some kind of remuneration. When I realized what it was, I paid her to keep her mouth shut and also to give me a sample of the potion." She turned her eyes away. "I may have also sent my grandson after him with the hopes of finding out more…"

 _Nfirea Baleare! That… That explains a lot, actually…_ "Well, that's… Bad." Herohero sighed, leaning against the wall. Too fast- They were found out too fast. If he hadn't made a mistake then maybe Momon wouldn't be linked to Ainz Ooal Gown, but at the very least people would have connected the two of them and realized something was up.

He'd planned on coming out eventually, but this was an entirely different curveball. "Yeah, Momon actually comes from the same place as me, and his real name is Momonga." He sagged visibly. "I didn't expect someone would make that connection any time soon, though…"

"Don't worry," Lizzie reassured him. "If these are all the moves you have made, then your secret is safe. I won't question you further on the issue, I was merely curious."

"Right…" Herohero sighed again. He'd have to tell Momonga about this, no doubt about it. He could only be glad that Lizzie hadn't tried to blackmail them and seemed trustworthy herself. It would have been annoying to have come this far yet be forced to kill the woman just because of his own carelessness. It would have been a simple matter, really, overpowering her and then using his body to digest her.

There would not even be a trace of what he did-

 _What the fuck am I thinking!?_ Herohero started, chastising himself for those thoughts as anger surged up his being. The amoral act of killing someone to silence them was bad enough, but the cannibalism was too much. The worst thing was that despite feeling a slight aversion to the former act, he didn't find anything emotionally wrong with eating a human being.

 _It's the avatar_ , he realized with growing unease. _Oozes eat anything except other oozes, and even then there are exceptions. This really took everything from the game and made it real, didn't it?_

"Herohero-dono, is something the matter?" Lizzie asked, noticing her benefactor's distracted mood.

"It's nothing." Herohero breathed quietly. "Let's see what else we can make with what there's on the shop, alright? Then you can try and see if you can't imitate it." He made his way back to the strewn tools absentmindedly, centering his thoughts on one of the recipes ingrained in his mind and mechanically starting the first steps.

He could cope with being a monster later. For the moment, there were things he needed to do.

* * *

Throughout the forest, two large figures rushed through the thickets, roaming their hunting grounds with a speed and grace that lesser creatures couldn't compete with. One of them was an invisible blur, melding with its surroundings and existing only in the sound it made by rustling the life in the forest. The other was a massive wolf, with pitch black fur that sported strange, golden markings and bright red eyes.

Riding on top of the lupine creature was one Nazarick's Floor Guardians, Aura Bella Fiora. A beautiful dark elf girl with tomboyish looks, she smiled brightly as she felt the wind rush past her body. "Come on, Fenny! Momonga-sama is waiting for us!"

When she'd received a message from Momonga ordering her to meet, Aura couldn't help but be besides herself in happiness. She had no qualms about sending her daily reports to Albedo, but while she considered the Overseer a friend there was nothing like talking to one of the Supreme Beings. Even Demiurge could only express awe at the Supreme Beings' eternal wisdom, and she knew that he was the most intelligent of all the Guardians.

Aura's ears twitched as her inner senses picked up the presence of Momonga, a few hundred meters away from her location. "Let's go, Fenny! Quadracile, keep an eye out alright?" Giving orders to the invisible creature, she rode off towards the thicket where she could sense the location of the Supreme Being.

As she approached Momonga's location, Aura had her beast ease its pace until it was stalking along the ground, laying low so as to escape notice. Aura herself stepped off it, and carefully advanced through the bushes until she could peer into the thicket without being noticed. She saw Momonga and Narberal, but hesitated to approach when she noticed there was a third figure among them.

However, any misgivings she may have had fled when Momonga's voice echoed from his helmet. "It's alright, Aura. You can come out."

"Yes, Momonga-sama!" Aura cheerfully jumped from the bushes, twirling across the air as she flew and landed cleanly on her feet. The young human alongside Momonga started, looking at her with shocked eyes through his hair. "Aura Bella Fiora, reporting for duty!"

"A dark elf?" The boy reacted, surprised. "That's amazing, I thought they all lived underground…"

"Well, we are from underground after all." Momonga replied, looking nervous around the boy from some reason. "Aura, please report to me the state of the forest pertaining to monsters and other creatures' activities, as well as any peculiar observations you may have noticed."

"Right away, Momonga-sama!" Aura repeated herself, as she then began to recall everything she'd noticed since the start of her patrols. "At first, this part of the forest was pretty much empty, but around two weeks ago a lot of monsters started to appear. Um, most of them were really weak though. Goblins, ogres and trolls mostly, though they had a few barghests. I think they were coming from the northeast, too."

"The northeast…" The boy sighed thoughtfully, then snapped his fingers. "That's right! Momonga-san, do you know about the powerful monsters that inhabit the Forest of Tob?"

Momonga tilted his head down. "Powerful monsters? You mean like…" He paused, as if reluctant to mention the name he was thinking of. "...The Wise King of the Forest?"

"Yes." The human nodded assertively. "There are two monsters that live at the eastern and western fringes of the forest, and they each have command over many hundreds of monsters, maybe even thousands. They're called the Giant of the East and the Serpent of the West. One is rumoured to be the physically strongest monster in the forest, while the other is said to be wise and cunning, capable of casting magic on its own. They are terrible creatures, Momonga-san!"

"But the Wise King of the Forest was stronger, am I correct?" At the boy's nod, Momonga went to sigh but it came out as a snort instead. "Right, of course. ...So, what you're trying to say is that these monsters might be the ones commanding the rest to come south?" When he nodded again, Momonga turned back to the guardian. "Aura, what do you think of this?"

The dark elf child looked at the boy for a moment, comparing his words to what she'd observed, and finally nodded. "It makes sense, Momonga-sama. A lot of them moved together, like they were part of a party or a guild. Maybe they were raiding?" Aura put a finger to her cheek, humming in confusion. "I didn't find any dungeons in the forest, though."

"Ah… Haha…" Momonga laughed awkwardly, the only one in the thicket that realized the misunderstanding Aura was going through. "They might have been parties not interested in loot, though…"

"Huh!?" Aura voiced her surprise at the idea. "But didn't Peroroncino-sama say, 'there's no point in raids if there isn't a dungeon to sack'?" That was what her creator's brother had said, when the Supreme Beings had been discussing going after what he'd called a 'lame event boss'.

Momonga shook his head. "Indeed, but there's a lot of things they could have been after. There's territory, resources or even food issues. It might also be a show of force from one or the other, and that would explain the raids. Peroroncino-san is… Wise, but he might have overlooked this anyways."

"Wh-what are we going to do, Momonga-san?" The boy stammered nervously. "If those two are sending waves of monsters through the forest, there's no doubt they're going to try and sack the village at some point!"

Something in the black warrior's eyes flashed.

"Which is why I will not let them do that. Carne Village was taken under the protection of Herohero-san, to attack it is an insult to Ainz Ooal Gown. Feel at ease, Nfirea. I will hold to my end of the bargain." Turning towards Aura, Momonga dramatically extended his arm. "Aura."

"Yes, Momonga-sama!" Aura straightened, ready to obey any command from the Supreme Being.

"You may continue to oversee the protection of Carne Village until further notice. Take as many servants as you need to ensure that their people are protected, but stay out of their notice. As for this 'Giant of the East' and 'Serpent of the West'... Try capturing one of their troops, and interrogate them to learn of their plans. Other than that, simply kill any of their monsters that happens to wander too far south." Momonga nodded towards the human called Nfirea. "Is this enough, Nfirea-san?"

The boy nodded jerkily. "Yes, Momonga-san. That should reduce the danger for adventurers and tradesmen going to Carne."

"Very well. Those are your orders, Aura. Please see to it that they are realized as soon as possible." The guildmaster boomed, causing Aura's heart to burn with willpower and determination.

"Yes, Momonga-sama! I will do as you command and drive the creatures from the forest!" She voiced, undying loyalty and devotion evident in every word. With a giddy smile on her face, she turned tail and ran towards Fenrir as soon as Momonga dismissed her. "Let's go, Fenny!" Without skipping a beat, the wolf rose from its rest and started running, even as Aura jumped on top of it.

Momonga watched them go and sighed. The day wasn't at all playing how he'd expected it to. First he learned that the item that Herohero had given the village girl summoned a mid-level mount that was extremely flashy, only for his surprise to be replaced with shock when his cover was almost completely blown by details he'd overlooked.

-However, even that had been eclipsed by the latest turn of events.

"Momonga-san… Thank you." The lich in disguise looked back at Nfirea, who was avoiding his gaze even as he spoke. "I know I can't join your party, but just being allowed to work for you is enough. I'm… I'm glad that at least someone still cares about this village."

Momonga grunted. "I was going to protect Carne Village regardless of your intentions, Nfirea. Just don't forget- We might be associates, but you work for us now. You understand, of course, the dangers you risk if you were to expose even a fraction of what we've shown you, right?"

At his side, Nabe's grip on her sword tightened along with her stance. Her eyes were like stone as she judged the boy that had been so troublesome to her Master.

Nfirea shook his head. "I'd never sell you or Herohero out, Momonga-san. After what you did for Enri and the villagers… There's not a person in this world I'm more grateful to than the both of you. Grandma will keep her word as well, especially if what you told me is true. She really is only interested in her research. Money and power means nothing to her."

That was it in a nutshell. After Nfirea's conversation with Enri, Momonga had gone over an exhaustive talk with Herohero. The only comfort they could draw from the way they had been outmaneuvered was that the result of Nfirea and Lizzie's findings had thankfully not destroyed their plans, and indeed were something they could work with. Herohero claimed that he could handle Lizzie's end of the business, but then suggested that this might not be an entirely negative result. After all, they had dirt on the Baleares that they could use to keep them in check.

For his part, Herohero learned that Lizzie Baleare cared about only two things: her grandson, and her potions. Likewise, the knowledge that Nfirea was deeply attached to Enri was another factor that could be used to tie him down, especially given that Enri was completely under their grasp. Indeed, despite their initial disadvantage they were entirely capable of turning this situation on its head.

In the end, they'd decided to come clean with Nfirea anyways. He would find out from Lizzie eventually, so it had only been a matter of time. However, they would also make clear the power they held over Carne Village and determined that should be enough to keep the Baleare boy in check.

However, when finally confronted, Momonga had been completely blindsided by Nfirea's willingness to support them. After a brief talk where Momonga had explained how they had dealt with the Imperial Knights, Nfirea had been in awe of the strength they had displayed and immediately after requested- No, even begged to be allowed to join their team in order to become strong.

To Momonga, it was as if he had won the lottery. After Herohero's given consent, it was trivially easy to convince the boy to become their pawn. Nfirea agreed to work for them, knowing that they would protect Carne Village and that eventually Ainz Ooal Gown would help him become stronger.

All of that had led to this situation, with Nfirea tagging along with them as Momonga felt there was little to fear from the boy. Perhaps their identity as monsters was a taboo they might not be able to reveal, but he somehow felt it wouldn't be too tragic even if the boy managed to uncover that well-hidden secret.

"The Swords of Darkness have probably found the 'herbs' you were looking for already, Nfirea." Momonga said, glancing coldly at the boy. "Perhaps we should go back."

"Yes." Nfirea nodded. "There's a lot of free space in the village, so staying the night shouldn't be much of a problem. If all things go well, Momonga-san, we'll be back in E-Rantel by tomorrow evening."

"That sounds fine." Momonga said, as he walked past Nfirea and towards the path that led to the village. Behind him, Nabe followed closely. "Just remember, from now on I am the warrior 'Momon', and not Momonga."

Nfirea smiled awkwardly. "Don't worry, there's no way I would forget something so simple."

For some mysterious reason, Nabe growled.

* * *

"You're clear." Eric voiced, having finished looking through every nook and cranny of the man's caravan. He gestured to his companions, and they stepped aside to let the merchant's many carriages through.

"Shit, another false alarm…" The guard sighed, leaning against the walls that connected to E-Rantel's western gate. E-Rantel's city guard generally had a very cozy job, as crime rates were generally low in a city with as much military importance as this one. Being one of the few cities in the Kingdom that had a standing garrison throughout the year, their reinforced ranks meant that being a guard was a job that, while not paying too much, was relatively safe and granted him an excuse to kick people who pissed him off.

However, being part of the city guard also meant that he could be assigned all kinds of duties that weren't exactly the most pleasant of jobs. Gate duty was one of the worst, since it was at the same time mind-numbingly boring and risky enough that he couldn't just sleep through the job. Knowing when to call a search was important, since it could freeze the transit of an entire gate. As such, one needed to be careful enough to identify shady guys and call them out.

Despite this, the truth was that ninety nine times out of a hundred, whoever passed through the gate would just be normal people minding their own business. This meant that he got to sit his ass out waiting for anything exciting to happen for the entire day, and should he let anything past all the blame would fall on him and he would get fired.

"Damn, I hate gate duty…" Eric shook his head in frustration. What he wouldn't give for a good glass of booze right then…

Another of the guards squinted, throwing an arm over his head to look at the distance. "Hey Eric, there's someone coming up… And he doesn't look very normal."

"Oh yeah? Just… Let me get up from here…!" Eric yawned, stretching as he straightened and walked back to the path. "Alright, who's the one that's coming?" Eric imitated the actions of his fellow guard, trying to reduce the glare of the receding sunlight. When he saw the figure, his arm sagged with surprise. "Whoa."

As the newcomer's body gradually became more visible, he drew the attention of more and more of the guards. Their curiosity was spiked, as even from the distance they noticed the magnificent quality of his armor. They were plates of shining platinum metal, completely covering the man's body in a way not unlike a dragon's scales completely encased their bearer with a solid defence. The interlacing plates moved visibly in tune with the man's steps, some of them bound so tightly they looked like muscles of plated steel.

The guards moved as the mysterious figure approached, his blue cape trailing behind as he advanced. The garb was clasped on the man's shoulders, flowed freely in the wind and yet it did not get in his way in the slightest. As the guards moved to block his advanced, they grew aware of the man's rather tall height and the imposing presence that he bore.

"H-Halt!" Eric shouted, and the mysterious man stopped. He craned his neck, looking at him through the glaring visor of his helmet. He gulped at the intimidating nature of the headgear, noting the long horns that curved back only to stretch forwards, like a laurel wreath. "State your name and your business in E-Rantel, sir!"

"... _My business_ …" The man's voice, muffled as it was, carried a deep undertone and a weight that had the guardsmen shivering. " _...I guess you could say that I'm chasing down a great threat."_ He chuckled, in a way that was anything but humorous to the guards. Continuing to advance, the man looked over the guards and nodded his head. " _As for my name… Well, there's no problem in telling you."_

" _I am Vaison."_ He stepped forwards smoothly, through the guards and onto the gate as nobody dared to bar his way. They knew instinctively, that questioning this man's intentions was an extremely bad idea that they would surely regret.

For a fraction of a second, Eric could have sworn he saw a glaring green light flare from behind the man's visor.

" _Tsaindoruks Vaison."_

* * *

Dusk fell in the city of E-Rantel, and everyone began to retreat to their homes. As humans, E-Rantel's citizens naturally held a primal fear of the dark. It was only natural, to fear the night in which they could not see. A man who found danger in the dark was surely trapped, compared to one who faced it in the light. Because of this, they shied away from the darkness and closed their eyes under their blankets, hoping to wait out the dangers of the night and wake up to see the sunlight. However…

-In this world, there were some nightmares that one could never escape from.

It started in a single warehouse out of the myriad that existed in E-Rantel. The few roaming guards in it were taking it easy, knowing that few people would wander into a place that mostly held uncooked food storage that would be held there until the start of winter. A single pair wandered in, wielding a single torch to keep their wits about.

"-Yeah, but if you factor in that Red Drop's team has that super advanced armor on their side, I don't think Peron can break through their defense before he gets whittled down by their attacks. He might be crazy strong, but there's no way he's invincible. He's just human after all." One of the guards remarked, confident in his argument.

"I'm telling you, Peron is crazy. My pops lives in E-Pespel, I know what I'm talking about. You could put Red Drop, Blue Rose and Gazef Stronoff all together and they wouldn't stand a chance. If you ask me, Peron has a solid fighting chance against a freaking Dragon Lord." The other guard insisted, making his counterpart laugh.

"Come on, nobody believes that shi-" Whatever the guard was about to say, it was suddenly drowned out by a thunderous noise that echoed all around the warehouse, followed by the high-pitched noise of a horrified scream.

The guards paused for a moment, and then they suddenly took off. "Shit!" One of them exclaimed, stepping ahead of his friend and turning a corner at the end of the building. "What the hell was that?" He scanned the darkness, using the meager light from his torch to try to see anything else. As a remote part in the city, the warehouse lacked the 'Continuous Lights' that decorated the main streets of the city.

Perhaps it was the way the light of the torch flared, or maybe it was because of how used he was to the dark, but the guard noticed it. At the edge of the neighboring building, he caught the crimson glint of blood. He moved as fast as he could, racing towards the red glint in the distance as it gradually spread and became a pool at the center of his vision.

Drawing a deep breath, he brandished the sword on his left hand and very slowly turned the corner that led into another dark alley. However, when he turned to find the corpse…

...Nothing.

There was nothing there, but a pool of freshly spilled blood that seemed to have no source. His body shuddered, unable to cope with the sight that he couldn't in any way decipher.

Feeling numb all over, the guard stepped back. "There's nothing back there." He whispered in horror. "Shit, Rial, there's no body! ... Hey, where do you think it could have gone?"

No response.

"Rial?" The guard turned back where he came from, unnerved by the silence of his partner-

-When the sword in his hand almost clattered to the ground from shock. _Oh no, no no no no no…!_

His teammate was there, alright. He was still standing, looking onwards with blank eyes that seemed to be frozen in shock. However, he couldn't speak or move. Not because he lacked a mouth, or because something had grabbed.

He couldn't move because he was dead, killed by the bloody chain that gone into his temple and out of the other, splattering blood and brain matter all over the ground.

The guard screamed, doubling back as the ghost chain whipped back and tore a definite hole through the carcass of his former friend, reducing his head to a fine paste. He forgot about his training and skills, only determined to run while he could and get help from someone who could truly handle the situation.

He never got the chance. No sooner had he taken a step, two different chains flew from another direction and wrapped around his neck in a vice grip, yanking him back like a dog put on a leash. The man's torch and sword dropped to the ground, as he viciously clawed at his throat, trying in vain to pull away the chains that were choking the life out of him.

As the lights in both torch and man started to wink out one by one, the dying guard managed to behold the face of their assassin. The pale, bare feet of his attacker approached into view, before the man's view climbed up to the rest of their body. In any other situation, he would have felt lust for the slender, supple body of the girl his eyes saw.

However, the rest of her killed any lust he might have had and replaced it with deep revulsion and fear. Her otherwise naked body was completely covered in steel chains, they wrapped around her so tightly and were pulled so taut as to resemble a dress, but they moved and writhed with life of their own. He knew how deadly the barbs that danced around her form were, and the coppery smell that came from the many tattoos on her body gave him no comfort as to their source.

The raven-haired devil smiled, crouching to stare down at the horrified, gasping head of the guard. Every time her smile widened, the chains around his neck tightened. Her inhuman green eyes gleamed with uncontrolled bloodlust, wide and unblinking to a disturbing degree. She didn't speak, but he knew what she was doing anyways. She was playing with him, making a game out of killing him.

He couldn't really care anymore. He was pretty much dead anyways. The pressure on his throat had faded, because he could no longer feel anything below his neck. As he felt some disturbingly hard bits come out of his mouth, he idly realized he was vomiting his own windpipe-

"Ah..." The chained devil frowned, pouting as the guard's stare turned glassy and void of reason. "He died." The chains around the corpse's neck jerked, pulling back as they receded back around her body.

"That's the last of them." Said a figure as he landed next to her from high above. He was dressed in a similar way to her, but his skin was much darker, his eyes were yellow and his head was bald. "You sure took your time, though."

"What can I say?" The fiend playfully put a bloody finger on her lips. "I like it when they kick."

Both devils paused when the two dead bodies on the ground twitched. They lowered their stares, watching intently as the two guards which should be dead started to get back up. Their wounds remained, their bodies horrifyingly misshapen by the damage incurred. Though they lacked a soul, they moved with purpose again.

Two more undead had joined their ranks.

"Good job, you two." Said a figure, as it stepped from the shadows. Its robes fell away, as its body started to transform. Blue skin turned into scales and bark-like skin, hard as ice as it covered his growing monstrous body. A long tail sprouted from his back, the powerful muscle slamming on the street and throwing up rocks and dust. Four horns sprouted from its reptilian face, as its neck extended to an inhuman length, tensing with supernatural strength.

The ice devil drove its talons on the ground, testing the power of its body which it had abandoned for quite some time. Its green eyes blinked, endless pools of glowing emerald that seemed to stare into infinity. Power gathered in its hands, and a long spear manifested itself between his arms.

The two chained devils knelt, bowing before their superior.

The devil looked at the warehouse, a remote corner in the city whose state nobody would question until it was too late to ask them. Slowly, a dark grin appeared on his horrible maw. " _This one will do well enough. Nobody will come here during the day, and during the next night…_ " It laughed " _They will wish they had not."_

With a sinister gleam in its eyes, the devil threw its arms up. " _Soon, these foolish humans will learn of the dark power of our master, the Archfiend!"_

The space around the devil seemed to shudder, as one by one more devils began to show up. Monstrous bearded humanoids, amorphous creatures that were disturbing to even look at, lumbering creatures made almost entirely of thorns, and other abominations started to descend from the gaps between reality.

" _Finally,_ " the Ice Devil voiced, " _this Festival of Death can begin! Rejoice, fellow fiends! The night is ours!"_

Their maddened laughter stretched on until dawn broke.

* * *

Next: _Nightfall_


	11. Nightfall

**Alright, I'll be sticking to the honorifics then. You are right in that the Guardians are supposed to be highly reverent towards the Supreme Beings, so it would make little sense to remove those.**

 **Anyways, we haven't completely deviated from the timeline yet. Until the series of events from the Men in the Kingdom, a lot of the plotline is still going to be more or less similar to that of canon, barring a few choice differences such as those in this chapter.**

 **On world items- Nobody in the New World, with the exception of the Platinum Dragon Lord, knows how World Items work. Furthermore, I doubt that Nigun (I keep calling him Nigel, lol) was truly aware of how dangerous Downfall of Castle and Country was, and what exactly its effects were. If that knowledge managed to get out, I imagine the Theocracy would be attacked by some very angry and threatened Dragon Lords.**

 **Anyways, here's the next chapter.**

 **Chapter 11** : _Nightfall_

Solution restrained the urge to yawn from boredom. "Just what is taking that scum so long?" She frowned, looking into the street as she waited for her meal to arrive.

"He will come, Solution." The one who spoke gravely was a veteran-looking man in a butler's suit. He was Sebas Tian, the head butler of Nazarick. "An unpleasant person like him is probably adjusting whatever dishonorable schemes he had, likely due to the change in arrangements." Though he spoke of the situation as if it was natural, disgust was evident in his tone.

Though Sebas had accepted using Zach as a disposable tool to guide them to Re-Estize, he couldn't help but hold a profound disgust towards the man. While he saw the denizens of Nazarick as allies regardless of their alignment, he couldn't help but feel disdain towards those who acted selfishly and harmed others just for the sake of greed or self-service.

At least he could take comfort in knowing that the consequences of the man's treasonous actions would not lead him to a kind fate. He looked at Solution, who despite her apparent boredom was eyeing the vacant street with a small smile and a hungry gaze. Ever since he had given her permission to prey on the scummy man, she had been greatly looking forwards to the trip.

"Are you irritated, Sebas-sama?" Solution asked, noticing the butler's general discomfort. Slowly, she shook her head. "This might be presumptuous of me, but I do not think you should be frustrated that a foolish human acts like the insect he is. It is only natural for a race that lacks any wisdom or strength to act in such an inferior way."

"Is it…?" Sebas could understand where the maid was coming from, but he couldn't find himself to agree. While it was true that humans were an inferior race, that didn't mean one should look down on them. At least, that was what the immortal words of his creator had described to him.

' _Those who can't save the weak shouldn't claim to be strong!'_ That was what Touch Me had passionately claimed to the other Supreme Beings, apparently when they were discussing the politics of a higher plane of existence. It is because of those words that Sebas sought to understand the feelings of humans, and like Touch Me couldn't find it in himself to hold hatred for the race.

However, it was true that Zach's actions greatly disappointed him. Were all other humans like him, it was likely that even his own faith would have been shaken. As it was, he was merely an annoyance that would soon be gone from their lives.

"...Do you think the Supreme Beings' plans are coming to fruition?" Solution asked half-heartedly, looking at her nails as she grew bored from waiting. "Momonga-sama said it could take some time before he returned to his duties."

"Hah?" A new voice wandered into the conversation, as the doors of the carriage were pried open by a pair of pale, dainty hands. A head of silver hair peeked out of the carriage, as her crimson eyes narrowed angrily. "Is there any doubt that they are succeeding? Rather, is it even possible for a Supreme Being to fail?"

"Shalltear…" Sebas sighed. "I told you this already, but you shouldn't get out of the carriage while we are waiting for the human." He could understand why Shalltear would be feeling chatty, but it would not do for her attitude to compromise the mission simply due to boredom.

"Hmph!" She crossed her arms and raised her chin, huffing contemptuously. "Fine. All I wanted was to express my dissatisfaction. I guess I will just go back, then…" She sighed. "Just sitting there, unable to make any sound or touch my brides…" Muttering sullenly, she stepped back into the carriage and shut the doors tight.

"...I am sure everything is going smoothly. Like Shalltear said, it is not possible for a Supreme Being to fail." He finally said with conviction. The Supreme Beings always had some kind of plan or strategy ready whenever they decided on a course of action. It would be ludicrous to question their judgment.

Just as he thought that, he felt the telltale pinging of the use of a [Message] spell directed at him. Soon after, the voice of Herohero echoed through his head. " _Sebas, you are leaving tonight right? Please tell me your location, there's something I need to give you."_

" _Yes, Herohero-sama."_ Having recieved Herohero's command, Sebas left the carriage and started walking around in order to find landmarks he could give Herohero. This surprised Solution, who stared at him as he started to describe his surroundings to Herohero overthe communication spell.

"Sebas-sama, what is it?" She asked, bemused at the way he had started pacing around the street and looking at houses. Had boredom really managed to reach the unshakeable Butler of Steel?

As Sebas finished composing the message and sent it back to Herohero, he replied off-handedly. "I received a message from Herohero-sama. He has something he needs us to carry for him."

"H-Herohero-sama!?" Solution almost fell over from shock. "He's coming here? Oh dear…!" Searching through her storage, Solution quickly took out a mirror and started looking herself over. "I don't look like a mess, do I? My hair seems fine, but these clothes… Can I really show myself to Herohero-sama in these dregs?" She gasped, almost looking as if she would start hyperventilating. "What do I do?"

Sebas impassively weathered Solution's antics. It was no secret among the Guardians that Solution felt attraction towards Herohero. He supposed it was natural, given that the two were of compatible species and the Supreme Beings were subjects of deep admiration from everyone in Nazarick. He still couldn't help but think that her actions were… Excessive.

"I was assured that dress is a high quality item, Solution. Given that it was made for aesthetics, I am sure it doesn't detract from your attractiveness." Sebas said, trying to calm down the maid before she did anything too outlandish.

"But-" Solution's rebuttal halted, when the two of them heard the sound of someone hitting the ground hard with their feet. The two of them turned to see the disguised Herohero, who had arrived by jumping over the rooftops of the buildings. "H-Herohero-sama!" Solution yelled, her face going red.

"Um…" Pausing at the maid's reaction, Herohero quickly looked to his sides before he advanced on the two Guardians. "Solution, I'm not Herohero right now, remember? Call me Kazu." He said in a low voice, hoping that nobody was overhearing.

"Y-Yes, Kazu-sama." Solution nodded, quickly lowering her head. "Please forgive me for my mistake!" She apologized, causing Herohero to wave his hands as he dismissed her concern.

"Kazu-sama." The butler approached the slime player, face neutral as usual. "What did you want to give to us?"

"Right, that." 'Kazu' withdrew a hand within his robes, shortly after pulling out a neat envelope that had been recently sealed. "This is a letter I wrote recently. Due to certain…" The disguised monster avoided their gaze, cheeks colouring in temporary embarrassment. "...Inconveniences, I was unable to write it until now."

He was about to hand the letter to Sebas, when he was interrupted. "P-Please wait!" Surprised, Kazu turned towards Solution, who was watching him with an intense gaze. "I can carry that letter for you, Kazu-sama. Not only do I have an item storage, but by placing the letter within my body I could prevent it from being stolen by anyone."

Kazu blinked, then hummed thoughtfully. "That's right, one of your racial abilities allows you to store and protect objects inside you doesn't it? You're right, Solution. That was very smart of you." He gave the letter to the blushing Solution, who almost immediately pressed the envelope inside her chest, letting her body absorb it. "Uh… Is something the matter, Solution?"

"It's nothing, Kazu-sama." She breathed, as she tried not to squirm from excitement and contain the rapid heaving of her chest. "Is there anything else you desire? Anything at all?" She leaned forwards, giving him a rather intense stare.

He shrugged. "No, not really." He paused, and then snapped his fingers. "Oh, right! I didn't even tell you who to take it to. Once you get to Re-Estize, I need one of you to find Gazef Stronoff and give him that letter. It's for his eyes only, so don't let anyone else open it. Is that clear?"

"Absolutely, Kazu-sama. We will deliver it to him without fail." Sebas made no mention of the fact that he didn't know in the slightest who Gazef Stronoff was, but given Herohero's information it made sense to assume he was in the capital. From there onwards it would only be a matter of asking around.

"Alright, sorry I interrupted you. Good evening, Sebas, Solution." The incognito Supreme Being bowed politely and turned back, walking down the street at a far calmer pace than he had arrived. Solution gave a long, drawn-out sigh.

A shaggy-looking man passed Kazu by, glancing at him with bemusement for a moment before he decided to just ignore him. Whoever that was, it wasn't his problem. By this point all he wanted to was leave the city and lead the latest pair of fools he had deceived to their deaths.

"Sebas-san, is everything ready?" Zach started, approaching the pair who seemed to have been waiting around for him. When the butler's stare focused on him, he almost flinched from how stone-like it was.

"Yes. Will there be any more delays?" Sebas stated in a grave voice, causing Zach to gulp and laugh awkwardly.

"Nah, like I said, I just had to tie up some loose threads before I left the city." The grimy man bowed. "Please, go ahead and board the carriage. We'll be in the capital before you know it." A treasonous look coursed through his face for a moment, before it faded into a neutral smile again.

Sebas and Solution exchanged looks. They smirked.

"That will be just fine, Zach-san." The butler concluded.

* * *

The road that connected E-Pespel to E-Rantel saw a lot of transit, especially in the days that led up to the harvest season. As the only passage that connected the farmlands of the Kingdom to the military outpost of E-Rantel, it was a crucial path that led many caravans bearing food stores meant to resupply the garrison.

In order to protect roads such as this, the King Ranpossa III had implemented with the advice of the 'Golden Princess' a decree that demanded all cities with dedicated guardsmen to regularly patrol the roads so as to deter banditry and raiding. However, because of friction with the noble faction and a general lack of standing manpower, these patrols were far and few in-between, and most caravans were forced to rely on adventurers or mercenaries to secure a safe path between cities.

Unfortunately, not everyone could afford such safety measures. There were many people that subsisted on their trade produce, such as farmers heading into cities to sell food or craftsmen looking to try for better sales in another town. These were people with little purchasing power, who either lived in remote places that couldn't form caravans or lacked the money to pay the fees for mercenaries even by placing their goods together.

For such humble people, it often happened that bad luck and misfortune would get the better of them, leading them to run across maladies or unpleasant encounters. Encounters such as this one…

"Stand and deliver!" The highwayman shouted, holding out his arm as his comrades swiftly circled the hapless wagon that had chosen the wrong time and place to be in. "I'll be quick about this stranger, since time's not on our side." The bandit advanced on the two terrified people on the wagon, brandishing a menacing grin on his bearded face. "Your money or your life!"

The one driving the wagon, a middle-aged man with greying hair and a kindly face trembled in fear. "W-We have no money, sir!" He gestured at the wagon, which had nothing but stacked bundles of food and a sparse other goods. "We are but a humble pair of farmers, taking our produce to E-Pespel in order to pay our taxes!"

"Produce, huh?" The robber shook his head sadly. "Of course that's all you have, damn it. I've robbed so many farmers by now that me and my boys are gonna get fat." Chuckles spread out from all around the carriage. "Well, fellow, if you don't have it in coin, I'm sure we can find something else of yours to loot. Boys?"

"Why don't we take this one, boss?" One of them quipped cheerfully, as he threw the second victim out of the carriage. Completely uncaring of their screeching or the way they struggled against his vice-like grip, he pinned them against one side of the wagon. "She's feisty alright, but pretty enough!"

"Let me go, you bastards!" The girl screamed, biting and kicking every time the bandit's hands grew tighter around her flesh. She was a pretty girl, with fiery red hair and bright blue eyes, but her beauty was marred by the tears flowing down her eyes and the ferocious snarl on her face. "Daddy!" The peasant girl wailed.

"Vickie, no!" The father tried to leap from the carriage towards his daughter, but two other robbers stopped him not with their hands but with the cold steel of their blades. The man froze, feeling the metal pressing against his throat. "You monsters," he growled. "Don't you dare touch my daughter!"

"Ah, ah. You don't get decide what to do here." The leading highwayman said, shaking his finger threateningly as he twirled his sword with the other hand. "No money, no dice. You owe us, old man." His fox-like eyes narrowed, as he gave a vicious smile. "And I think I know how to collect. Don't worry," he laughed darkly. "With that body of hers, I'm sure your daughter will make more than enough for us where she's going."

"Yeah, she's like 8/10 at least. Damn girl, that's one hell of a body. It's too bad you won't get to keep her, right?"

"Yes, it's- What?" The highwayman blinked, noticing that there was an arm around his shoulder as a friendly voice spoke to him. He turned his head, looking at the tanned man that was giving him a full-toothed grin.

His eyes then lowered, and noticed the gleaming adamantite plate on his neck. His eyes practically bugged out of his eyes. "Fuck!"

"Damn straight!" The man laughed, releasing the bandit leader and leaving him stumbling. The robber desperately grasped for his sword, but before he could bring it to bear, he sensed a shadow looming over him.

"What the fu-" He turned his head up just in time for the adventurer's backhand to connect in full, causing a thunderous noise as the man's head twisted a full forty-five degrees. He flew for a short meter or so before dropping like a sack of bricks on the grass.

"Alright," Peron said, his right hand still smoking from the friction of the impact. "Who else wants my freaking pimp hand!?"

There was a moment of stunned silence, before the bandits moved into action.

"G-get him!" All the bandits which weren't busy suppressing the farmers moved into action. Those who had melee weapons charged forwards, while the two who had crossbows lagged behind to take aim at the adventurer.

"Wow, wow, line up guys!" The Golden Demon laughed as the bandits ran at him like men possessed. The fastest one reached him in two seconds, swiping at him with a long scimitar. He took a simple step back, and the sword missed by a mile as if it had never been aimed at him. "Who are you swinging at?"

Two of them had leapt to the sides, aiming to flank him. He hummed thoughtfully as they charged him, seemingly ignorant of their position. They grinned widely, as they got close enough to stab him with no reaction coming from the man. One of them reared his spear and thrust straight as his heart-

-Only to stumble as Peron simply vanished into thin air. "Huh?"

"Batter up!" He turned around in time to see Peron swing his still-sheathed sword, just as it connected with his side and sent him into a world of pain. The bandit projectile soared through the air like a baseball as it struck true, crashing into his flanking partner and sending them both deep into the forest. "Aaaand that's a Home Run!"

The sole remaining bandit of the three that had charged him blinked, unable to cope with the situation. A second later he shrieked, and turned to flee back towards the forest. However, several blurs crossed through the air and pierced him one by one, nailing him to a nearby tree by each of his limbs.

"Deserters will be shot." Peron said in a gruff voice as he quickly strapped back his bow. As he did so, however, he noticed something flash at the edge of his sight. He turned his head as if in slow motion, watching as the silent projectile came closer and closer, straight towards his eye-

"Really? Did you really think that would work?" He said, twirling the crossbow bolt with one hand. "Freaking _really!?"_ Without even looking, he swiped the other crossbow bolt as the second bandit shot. "Damn campers," he grumbled, as he crushed the two bolts into fine paste.

The two crossbowmen blinked, looked at each other, and nodded. Dropping they crossbows, they jumped into the bushes… But were shot down in mid-air by two flying arrows.

"Damnit, don't make me repeat a joke I already made!" Peron grumbled, as he disposed of the last two annoyances. "Alright, and then there were three." He then started muttering under his breath. "I don't care about the old man, so I'll just go help the girl. Hehehehehe…"

"S-Stop!" The bandit holding the girl trembled, as he held a dirk to her neck. "Stop or I'll slit her throat!" He growled, even as his eyes trembled in fear and his legs shook.

Peron, who had been advancing towards him, paused. He tilted his head down and spoke. "Your arm will shatter in three seconds."

"Huh?" The bandit blinked. "What the hell are you talking abou- OH HOLY SHIT" He screamed as the muscles in his left arm exploded in three different points, bending in a way that shouldn't be humanly possible. He wildly looked back at Peron's location, but found that he was missing. A moment later, he was pushed to the ground.

Peron stood there, an arm held out protectively in front of the farmer girl as he glared down at the fallen bandit. His lips quirked up threateningly. "Any last requests, criminal scum?"

"Don't kill me, please!" The bandit begged desperately, snot coming out of his nose and tears pouring out of his eyes. He pleaded pathetically, like an insect squirming after being stepped on.

"...Alright." Peron blinked. "I won't kill you."

"Really-!?" The bandit smiled… Right before his face was caved in by his own arm, 'accidentally' pulled by the adamantite-ranked adventurer.

"...But you ended up killing yourself anyways, so why do I bother!?" Peron exclaimed, throwing his hands up into the sky.

Vickie giggled, causing Peron to grin widely.

"Oh, right, I forgot about those two." He looked at the two bandits that were still holding the girl's father hostage, and promptly waved them away. "You guys, uh, you can go if you want."

The two surviving robbers looked at each other, nodded like their heads were going to fall off, and quickly fled like madmen, leaving the adventurer and the unhurt farmers behind.

"That's all, folks!" Peron joked, before grunting when two arms clamped tightly around his waist. "What's the matter?" He said, a little more softly then.

"Thank you!" The girl wept. "Thank you so much! I-I thought they were going to kill him, and then…!"

"Hey, hey." Peron knelt, gently prying the girl from his waist. "Don't worry, those assholes will never bother you or your father anymore. Nor anyone else, for that matter. Idiots who would hurt such a beautiful girl don't deserve to live anyways. Here," he said, producing a handkerchief from nowhere. "Wipe those tears of yours."

"Y-You think I'm beautiful?" The girl smiled brightly, her cheeks a blushing red. Peron simply grinned in response, using his best disarming smile. The girl bit her lip, slightly avoiding his intense gaze. "I-"

"Hey there, uh, sir!" Peron's face froze still as the voice of the girl's father crept up behind him. Vickie shook her head, looking up at her father and smiling wide as she moved to embrace him. For an instant, Peron made a face as if he had bitten on a sour lemon before his expression receded to friendly neutrality. "Thanks for saving me and my daughter. I really don't have any money, though… All I can give you is my gratitude."

"It's not a problem." Peron replied smoothly. "I'm just happy to help." _Couldn't you have waited like five minutes to cockblock me? Ass._

"Well then, if you excuse us, we'll be heading out. Don't want it to get any darker than it already is." The man said, as the pair got up on the carriage once again. Peron sighed, grumbling silently about nonsense.

As the horses started moving, Vickie turned away from her father to stare at Peron. Meeting his eyes, the girl finally departed after blowing him a kiss.

"Hehehehe." Peron smiled lewdly. _I didn't get her this time, but it's alright. I must have triggered a dozen flags with her already._

"Alright!" Peron exclaimed, after lingering on the spot for a few seconds. He turned towards the only surviving bandit, who was still nailed to the tree and yelling audibly.

"Let's find out where all these guys came from…" Peron grinned sharply, as he advanced on the squirming, terrified man.

* * *

"We made it!" Lukeluther cheered as the party made its triumphant return through the gates of E-Rantel.

"No thanks to _you_ , Lukeluther!" Ninya complained. "You're our Ranger, for the sake of the Gods! How could you _not_ know how to find the herbs Nfirea was looking for! He even told you how they looked like!"

"I was distracted, okay!?" He replied, to which everyone laughed. "It wasn't a joke!"

"Well," Peter said, as they stopped at the entrance to the residential area. "That's it. Mission accomplished, people. We can't get our rewards for monster extermination until tomorrow, but we can at least get over the formalities of Nfirea's request. Just to stick together though, I propose that we escort Nfirea to his house to help out with a few chores before leaving for the guild."

"Y-you've done enough already, I wouldn't want to impose…" Nfirea started, but Lukeluther stepped forwards and threw an arm over his shoulder. "L-Lukeluther-san? What-"

"Let's not kid ourselves. The one who did most of the work out there were Momon-san and Nabe-chan. We might have fought and gotten those herbs, sure, but who was the one who kept handling the big things? It was only because Momon checked the forest for dangerous creatures that we could safely explore." He patted Nfirea on the back. "We have our pride too, you know? We wouldn't be content if we didn't do our part as well."

"Oh… I guess." Nfirea nodded meekly, causing Momon to sigh.

"Momon-san, what are you going to do? If you want to, you can go ahead to the Adventurer's Guild and receive the reward from the request." Peter said, surprising the warrior. "We can split it up later, anyways."

 _They trust me with their money?_ That was surprising to the player. Back in his own world, the only ones who had ever trusted him with money had been his parents, and only when he was young.

Regardless, he declined.

"I will go to Nfirea's house as well. The request was to see him home safely after the trip, so it would be unprofessional of me not to follow through." While the Swords of Darkness made impressed sounds at Momon's determination, the warrior inwardly considered the _real_ reason why he was sticking with the boy.

After having tied up their current affairs, Herohero and Momonga had discussed their next course of action. Seeing as Momonga was with Nfirea and Herohero was keeping Lizzie company, they ended up deciding that there was no better time for them to stage a meeting so they could break down everything the pair needed to know in a single conversation.

Henceforth, Momonga would go with Nfirea until Herohero swung by with his grandmother, at which point they would 'excuse' themselves from the Swords of Darkness and go on to discuss a _real_ issue, not the entire farce that had been Nfirea's personal request. At the same time, sticking to the contract so closely would also improve the reputation of the warrior Momon, thus strengthening the position of Nazarick.

Peter shrugged. "Alright, Momon-san. If that's what you want, then we won't stop you." Smiling, the leader of the silver-plated adventurers gestured at Nfirea and the rest. "Let's go, I want to eat something already!"

Unseparated, the party advanced forwards.

...It happened as the carriage approached the backyard of Nfirea's apothecary. The Swords of Darkness continued to engage in idle chatter none the wiser, as did Nfirea, but the remaining pair of adventurers had grown progressively more quiet as they approached the building.

"Momonga-sama, something's wrong." Nabe whispered to the disguised warrior, as she looked at the completely empty night streets that were devoid of any sound.

"I know." Not a single light other than the ones in the streets were lit around the block. That wouldn't have been suspicious if it was too late in the night, but the last time Momonga had spent a night E-Rantel he had still been able to pick out sounds from the streets, be it the scurrying of rats or other domestic animals.

As Nfirea opened the backdoor that led into his house, Momon abruptly stepped forwards. "I'll go first." He said, coldly brushing past the Swords of Darkness as he threw the door wide open. "Let's go." Without any other comments, he quickly stepped inside the room.

 _Am I just being paranoid? No… There's something in the air that's not right._ He vaguely heard Nfirea mention something about the herbs, but he was too busy growing tenser by the second. He'd heard from Herohero that he and Lizzie would be making their way to the house as fast as possible. Could it be that they were early? Or… Had something happened to delay them?

-As he thought that.

The moment that the party stepped into the lounge…

"Hello~ Welcome home~" On the other side of the room, a figure slithered through another door. The moment he saw her, Momon immediately could tell that she was up to no good. The blonde girl was armed, armoured, and more importantly she was decked out in what he could tell were hundreds of different plates that he recognized as belonging to adventurers.

Immediately, everyone in the party fell silent.

"Who are you?" Nfirea breathed out fearfully.

"Huh? Don't you recognize me? That's so mean!" The cat-like girl wailed, swaying back and forth in a playful way completely unbefitting the situation. "Even though I've been waiting for you all this time…" She blinked her red eyes at Nfirea, trying to sound flirty but only becoming scarier.

"Everyone," Momon's voice boomed. "Take out your weapons. This woman is dangerous."

The Swords of Darkness did not hesitate, and soon all their blades were drawn on the mysterious girl. Said girl paused, then recoiled in a way that was visibly fake.

"What!? Me, dangerous? Oh, come now~" She waved a hand jokingly, before her face shifted abruptly into a predatory smile. "How did you figure it out, genius?"

Momon shrugged. "It was made known to me that adventurers only ever receive one plate." The Swords of Darkness quickly paled as they realized the meaning behind the warrior's words, and what exactly was the source of the glint of metal they had picked up from the girl.

"You don't mean…" Peter mouthed out, terrified at the mere image of where the girl had acquired enough adventurer plates to fashion an entire _armor_ out of them.

"Monster." Dine growled.

"Just what do you want?" Momon stated coldly, while Momonga panicked in his mind. _This is bad! What the hell did we just step into? Wasn't this supposed to be a request to gather herbs?_

The cloaked girl shifted, resting her weight on one foot as she hummed. "What do I want, I wonder~? When I was little, I always wanted a pony for my own! Then I grew up, and the pony died." She giggled. "But if you really must know…" She pointed at Nfirea, who was being covered by Momon and the Swords of Darkness. "...I just came to grab that boy, and maybe play for a little while~"

"No playing around. You've had enough games for a century, Clementine." A broken, raspy voice interrupted Clementine's act as the door behind them shut closed.

Momon risked looking back, and saw a cadre of shady men encircling the back of the room. At the center of them stood a man in blood-red robes that he could only describe as an 'ugly uncle'. His head was bald, he was all skin and bones, his eyes looked sunken and his teeth looked rotten.

"Ehhh!? But Khajit-chan, you were the one who helped me set up all those spells so that nobody would hear their screams from outside!" Clementine pouted, tapping her cheek with the blunt end of one her sharp daggers. She grinned. "I mean, we only need one person among them, right?"

Khajit grunted. "Do as you like, just make sure to fetch the boy in the end."

Clementine laughed dementedly, sullying her looks with a teeth-filled sneer that cackled like a hyena. "Of course, of course! I won't ruin everything by hurting your precious little boytoy, don't worry~" With that said, her predatory stare fell on the rest of the party members inside the room.

"Nfirea, get behind us!" Peter, Lukeluther and Dine drew a tight circle around Nfirea and Ninya, as the former looked around nervously and the other prepared to cast spells. Meanwhile, Nabe continued to stand to the side and merely readied her blade, ready to swing it at whoever Momonga declared an enemy.

Grinning as her opponents prepared to fight her, Clementine smiled viciously. "Now then…" Her eyes widened with bloodlust, her pupils reduced to two black dots as she lowered her stance and readied two of her blades. "Let us begin!"

"-I agree." As that voice echoed through the room, there was a thunderous noise as a large shadow fell upon the pouncing Clementine, eclipsing the light that had been lighting her figure.

"Wha-!?" Clementine barely had time to jump to the side as a gargantuan black sword struck the place where she had been moments before, driving a huge gouge in the floor and splintering the wood below in a cloud around them. Some of the splinters even got into her skin, making her grit her teeth in pain. She further stepped back, but her eyes widened when she saw the huge figure that was already sprinting towards her. "You!?"

Momon did not pause in his attacks. He did not hold back in the slightest, for in this unknown situation he could only fight as hard as he could without compromising his disguise. Despite his massive frame, he moved with the speeds of a modern car as he threw back one of his swords, using the other to swipe at the elusive human that had escaped his first blow.

This time Clementine was prepared. With cat-like celerity she managed to leap past the blade, letting Momon's blade swing wide and _through_ the wall she had been backing up against, the slash tearing through the rock-solid walls and exposing the foundations within. Having managed to evade, Clementine's mind desperately raced as she tried to think some form of counter-attack-

-Only for Momon to press his advantage, grabbing both swords and trying to trap Clementine with an overhead swing of immense reach, that would crush her against the floor. Like an executioner's scythe, the two blades descended at a speed that left the woman no time or space to evade.

" **[Invulnerable Fortress]!** "

The ground shattered, the tremendous impact of Momon's full strength being brought to bear managing to shake the entire building all over. A cloud of splintered wound erupted from the two combatants, causing everyone's view of the situation to be concealed.

"Incredible…" Peter gaped, unable to believe what he was seeing. "Is that truly… Momon-san's true power?" Peter had never seen such a titanic strength. In raw physical abilities, if what he was seeing was the upper limit of Momon's strength, then he had power that could suprass that of Trolls, Ettins and perhaps even match that of Giants.

"Tch…" Khajit clicked his tongue, frowning at the sheer destruction caused by the warrior. "A troublesome person just showed up…"

The rest simply stared in awe at the scene, unable to contain their surprise as the physical might that Momon had displayed. Could a human really possess that much strength? What they had seen was not on the level of any warrior they knew of, even for those who knew Clementine they could tell that she couldn't match such athletic feats.

However, there was a single person who reacted differently.

"What…?" Nabe stared on at the cloud of dust, her eyes twitching in surprise. "That's… That's impossible!" She grit her teeth, her expression absolutely livid.

As the cloud of dust lifted, they saw what it was that had shocked Momon's companion.

"How…" Momon blinked, looking at the form of Clementine below him. Even though he was pressing down with his blades with all of his strength, Clementine was weathering his attack with the same little stilettos she had brought to bear against him. It was a mind-numbing scene that defied all logic, and everyone's surprise only increased further.

"Hehehehehe…" Clementine chuckled, grinning up at the dark warrior. "Alright, big guy~ I guess I underestimated you! Hey, tell me~ Are you really a copper plate, or did you steal that off someone else too?"

"Is… this… A martial art?" Momon grunted, as he kept trying to push his swords past Clementine's stone-like guard. _This is ridiculous! Just how far can these Martial Arts go? Are they really as powerful as YGGDRASIL spells?_

Eventually, the two of them broke their deadlock. Clementine was pushed back by the sheer power of the swing, while Momon retreated to regain his bearings. Hefting the massive swords like they were cardboard, he quickly twirled them and readied them to swing once again.

"Yup~! I mean, Clementine is a warrior after all! I bet you thought a girl with daggers would be a rogue, didn't you?" She stuck out her tongue, before her face grew serious again. "I'm going to enjoy breaking you for hurting me, bastard."

"Are you?" Momon grunted, though inwardly he was having a fit over how powerful the girl was. Knowing that he still had his trump card of being a magic caster was comforting, but he was worried that this girl might even be capable of hurting him in disguise. Still, he had a cover to keep. "You're outnumbered. Unless those guys in the back can fight as well as you, I'd say we have the advantage here."

Clementine laughed darkly, before she once more regarded the black-clad swordsman. "Listen, you-" She started with grit teeth, before the voice of Khajit interrupted her.

"Enough, Clementine! We didn't come here so you could have fun," Khajit growled. "I'm calling _them_ in." At the mention of _them_ , Clementine's face turned into a disgusted scowl.

"...Fine." She ground out, shifting her gaze to look at the still encircled Nfirea. "Let's just get the boy and get out, then."

 _I've seen enough summoning spells to know what is going on here!_ "Nfirea!" Momon yelled. "Watch out!"

But it was too late.

They descended from the nothingness- One moment the air above the adventurer party was empty, and the next the creatures came flooding in droves. _Teleportation!? No, those must be...!_ Momon saw the bearded forms of the green-skinned men that landed around the adventurers, and immediately discerned their identity. _There's no doubt about it! Those are devils!_

In an instant, the fight became chaotic.

Peter tried to keep the bearded creatures at bay, but even with the use of his **[Fortress]** skill he was incapable of preventing them from getting past his guard. One of them managed to get in a good hit and threw him to the side, just long enough for the rest of the devils to move into the circle and charge at the less defensive members.

Lukeluther intercepted one of them, discarding his bow and immediately going to his sword as he skillfully evaded the fiend's dexterous attacks. He managed to get the better of them several times, but to his shock the wounds seemed to do them no harm, as they quickly sealed shut. He grit his teeth as he remembered that devils had regenerative abilities that were only suppressed by silver. As it was, he was barely doing any damage and he had no time to use alchemical silver.

"Shit!" A sharp yell caused the Swords of Darkness to look back, and they felt their hearts leap to their throat when they saw the scene. One of the devils had managed to slip past Peter, and was heading straight towards the exposed Ninya. The mage tried using offensive spells against the creature, but it simply shrugged them off and immediately went for the kill.

"No!" Lukeluther shouted, before a vicious swing from his opposing devil caused him to bring his focus back to his own fight lest his own life be placed in peril.

"Ninya, no!" Peter shouted in vain as the bearded devil crossed the distance and leapt at the mage, glaive raised. He was forced to look away, unable to do anything for the sake of his comrade due to the devils that were striking at him.

Ninya watched helplessly as the monster got close enough that he wouldn't be able to cast any spells in time to stop him. His entire life flashed through his eyes, memories of escaping a cursed household that had sold their own daughter into slavery for the sake of money. Dreams of finding her one day, and regaining what he had lost, all for nothing.

He closed his eyes, unable to tolerate the suffering of experiencing such a thought just when his time came to an end.

 _Tsuare… I'm sorry_.

The sound of steel meeting flesh echoed through Ninya's ears, as he felt a thick, viscous liquid fall on his face. He felt no pain, even as he thought he heard the room become a little more quiet.

Confused at his lack of pain, Ninya hesitatingly opened his eyes in an attempt to understand what had happened. However, when his eyes were finally opened to the truth…

Right then, Ninya wished he had been blind.

" _ **DINE!**_ "

"DAMN YOU!" Momon yelled as he saw the figure of Dine collapse like a broken marionette. He felt an irrational hatred well up inside him, only heightened by the chaotic nature of the engagement. Even as his passive started to kick in and reduced his rage, he still charged forwards with the full intent of removing Clementine's head from her shoulders.

"Ah, ah~ I'll play with you later!" Clementine said as she dodged Momon's attacks by a hair's breadth, and as soon as she saw the chance turned tail and ran straight towards Nfirea's position, now open to attack due to the Swords of Darkness' misfortune.

"Nabe!" Momon shouted, even as he moved to pursue the insane woman. "Stop her at once!"

Nabe, who had just finished dispatching two bearded devils with ease turned towards the pouncing woman with a vicious snarl. " **[Quickened Maximized Magic: Lightning]!** " From her hands, without any sort of build-up or warning a current of lightning shot out with the full intentions of reducing Clementine to a pile of ashes.

What happened next was enough to make Momon curse in his mind.

"- **[Full Throttle].** " To Momon's eyes, it seemed as if time had slowed down just as the Lightning was about to impact Clementine. The girl smiled as her movements suddenly seemed to accelerate by several degrees, and to his immense shock the woman simply _danced_ past the lightning like it hadn't even been targeted at her.

The moment was over in an instant. Even as both Nabe and Momon tried to figure out how the woman had managed to use Martial Arts to dodge a _Lightning_ spell of all things, she had reached Nfirea. Against a warrior of her caliber, Nfirea couldn't even get a word out before he was disabled and his unconscious body dragged by the scruff of his neck by the woman.

The shrouded men parted as Clementine stepped through the exit, and then started to follow behind her out of the room. Nabe tried to charge and intercept them, but she was pounced on by the majority of the devils and delayed for long enough that she couldn't stop them- Not without compromising her disguise.

Momon found himself at a crossroads. The situation had escalated from bad to the worst possible he could have imagined. Not only had they taken away someone that knew his true identity for god knows what, but if he let the Swords of Darkness die here then nobody would be able to speak for what he'd done as an adventurer, and his fame as Momon would be greatly reduced.

He had to make a decision. Would he play defensively, remain behind to deal with the devils and then organize an expedition with Herohero to go rescue Nfirea? Or would he go on the offensive and chase after Nfirea and their kidnappers, and perhaps get to the core reason behind this mysterious attack?

In the fraction of a second that followed, Momon weighed the possible benefits and drawbacks from one path or the other… And within that timespan, set his mind on a single course of action.

With a single leap, Momon cleared the distance between his own position and the house's exit. He ignored the ongoing melee, and instead simply addressed the disguised Pleiades. "Nabe! Protect them and wait in this place until further instructions!"

He didn't bother opening the door the escapees had closed, simply barreling through the doorway and out to the house's backyard, where he spotted the telltale flash of blonde hair turning a corner. Strangely enough, the men from before were nowhere to be seen.

 _Is she leading me on? Big mistake._ Without paying any mind to the disappearance of the shrouded men, he darted in the direction of Clementine. He had already cast several anti-scrying spells as well as preventive measures against traps at the start of the day. Whatever they were planning, he would be ready for it.

The next moment, as he managed to get the fleeing Clementine in his field of vision, Momonga silently casted a single [Message] spell.

" _Herohero-san, I have bad news._ "

* * *

" _-Yeah, I got it Momonga-san. I'll meet you there."_ Herohero cut the feed on the [Message] spell, and then silently stared down at his most recent handiwork.

 _So it isn't just in this street..._ Strewn all over the street tiles were the crushed and broken corpses of the undead, monsters which had attacked him and Lizzie and paid the price for it. Some of them had been partially dissolved, courtesy of Herohero taking a few small 'bites' out of them for a temporary stat boost.

He looked past the corpses, towards the chaotic scenery that he was beginning to fear was spreading all across the city. Even from his place, he could hear faint screaming in the distance and see the faint orange tinge of flames going up in the distance. People fled in droves from the fiendish monsters that suddenly appeared to slaughter them, and those who weren't fast enough to escape rose as abominations when they were slain.

Overnight, the city had gone to hell. Whatever plans they might have had to slowly and steadily infiltrate E-Rantel had been thrown completely out of the window, as the place's very existence was being compromised by what Herohero could tell was the extent of the attacks. There was nothing but carnage all around…

...And it really pissed him off.

"What will you do, Herohero-sama?" Lizzie asked, looking at the dozens of corpses with no small amount of revulsion and fear. "What kind of monster would do this…?"

Herohero grunted. "That's what we want to find out. Don't worry, Baleare-san. We will find your grandson, and we will take him back." He looked at the distant fires, his vacant stare narrowing in anger. "And when we find the ones responsible for this…"

Herohero wasn't a deep fan of violence. He'd known that he would have to use it in this world, at the very least that was something that he had spent the month coming to terms with, after fighting in Carne. That he was willing to use it did not mean that he enjoyed it. If he could settle every issue painlessly, then all the better for him. However…

...If he ever got the chance to pay back whoever had sicced a legion of devils on a city of hapless citizens, if he could make them feel even the slightest fraction of the inhumane, unjust treatment they were dishing out…

Herohero smiled. It was not a pleasant one. "We will destroy them."

* * *

Next: _The Die is Cast_


	12. The Die is Cast

**Hello guys! It's been a long time, hasn't it? I don't have any excuses for not updating this time, other than I kind of forgot to make time for this and sank a lot of time on games and hanging out during my summer break. That said, I do have some words I would like to discuss with you.**

 **As you all might very well know, there was a new Blu-Ray special released which contains new information on the Supreme Beings and the founding of Ainz Ooal Gown. I'm sorry to say that I won't be able to stick completely to the information revealed therein, as I had already made plans for a few of the details that were revealed (mainly Touch Me's race, and some other minor stuff). I understand this might disappoint you, but please have in mind that if I updated a work-in-progress to stick to every single tidbit released then the story might lose its consistency.**

 **On another note, I finally got tired of calling Ninya a male. I think we all know that she's a girl (spoilers!), and even if you didn't know by now this is around the point in time in canon where the secret becomes irrelevant. Henceforth, Ninya will be properly addressed as 'she' by the narrator.**

 **I was planning on writing an interlude, but given the sparsity of my updates I felt you guys might have been itching for a real update. So, here it is. I realized it's kind of short when I finished, but I'd rather release this now than make you guys wait until I've written the rest of this arc.**

 **Chapter 12:** _The Die is Cast_

Lightning flashed across the room, and the final devil's body was burnt to a crisp as it fell in defeat.

There was no cry of victory or celebration, however. Only a thick, tense silence congested the apothecary which had moments ago staged a furious battle. Though said confrontation was over, as the rapidly dissolving outsiders could testify, it was as if none of the underlying tension had faded.

As for its cause…

"Dine," Peter gasped out, the weapon slipping from his trembling hands as it clattered against the floor. He ignored it, stumbling towards the bloodied body of his best friend. "Dine, come on, there's no way that glancing blow did you in, right buddy? It's just a flesh wound right?" He approached his comrade's unmoving body, eyes trembling with unshed tears.

Peter's comrades -the other, uninjured ones- would have helped him, were they not too busy gaping in awe at the black sheep of the group. Lukeluther's expression simply reflected an incredible awe, while Ninya's was the same with a strong amount of disbelief mixed in.

They had known Nabe was an adventurer beyond their caliber, but they had not expected her to be so strong. The moment Momon had left them to chase after the kidnapper and ordered the beauty to 'protect them', she had started moving like a demon possessed, so much that Lukeluther couldn't keep up with her movements and Ninya couldn't even understand her spellcasting power.

 _It's not possible._ Ninya breathed, in denial of the magic she had witnessed. _I've never seen magic like that before- Was it 4th tier? 5th? J-just who is she?_ The spell which Nabe had cast to get rid of the bearded devils, [ **Chain Lightning** ], was unlike anything she had ever seen. She knew the lightning spell could hit all targets in a line, but she had never seen one changing direction in mid-air. If [ **Lightning** ] was a spell of the 3rd tier and she had cast a stronger version of it, then it only stood to reason that the adventurer's true abilities were not limited to magic of the 3rd tier.

In the face of their awe, said magic caster was content to simply look at them with a bored -even annoyed- expression on her face. In spite of this, her stance was straight and her eyes constantly swept over the room as if expecting another creature to jump out.

"NO!" The two adventurers' spell was broken when they heard their leader cry in anguish. Both of them turned to see Peter's pale face, his horrified gaze resting on the Druid's wounded chest. "Wh-what the fuck is this…" He said, as he slammed his fists against the hard wood of the ground. "What the fuck did they do to him!?"

Ninya and Lukeluther came closer, walking in a similar state to their leader, to see the source of his distress. When they finally saw Dine's state with their own eyes, their reaction was no less grim. Lukeluther had to cover his mouth to prevent the bile from escaping his throat, while Ninya's face turned chalk white as understanding dawned upon her.

"I-infernal wounds…" She stuttered, as her hands gripped the robes of the inert body of their comrade. "I heard some cursed weapons could inflict them, wounds that don't heal naturally and expand by digging thorns into the body. With the place of the wound…" Her body started trembling. "...One of them must have reached his heart..."

She couldn't believe it. Dine had been wounded many times, of course, it was part of being an adventurer. However, this wasn't a simple wound…

 _It was a deathblow_.

"You're kidding, right?" Peter laughed, in a tone that was anything but funny. "Dine wrestles with fucking bears, and he goes down in one shot to some scraggly hobo in green?" He stood up abruptly, a teary glare on his face. " _Don't screw with me!_ That's-"

"It's obvious, isn't it?"A smooth, yet ice-cold voice slipped into the airs like a frigid breeze. The three of them turned towards Nabe, who was staring down Peter with an expression that could be likened to disgust. "His guard was down, and so he died. Screaming will not fix him, it will just attract more enemies to this place." She uttered without a single ounce of sympathy in her tone. " _So stop being so loud_."

A dumbfounded silence stretched over the room, until…

"-You _bitch_!" Peter shouted, storming towards the unmoved adventurer. "You've been holding back on us all this time, and that's the first thing you say!? Are you even human!?" His hands gripped at the neck of her scarf, but-

" _Don't touch me!_ " There was a resounding thunderclap, and Peter was hurled back by the back of Nabe's hand. He writhed on the floor, grasping at his hands and chest as he reeled from the force of the blow. He looked up, only to see Nabe's expression had turned to a _snarl_ unlike he had ever seen.

"You're pathetic. You were too weak to help your comrade, so you seek to place the blame on the strong? As expected of a lifeform that's lower than a plankton." If looks could kill, Peter would already be neck-deep in the fires of hell. "And you call yourself an adventurer? If you can't accept death as a consequence of fulfilling your purpose, _you're nothing more than a cowardly slug._ "

"That's too much, Nabe-san!" Ninya shouted, frowning in anger. The truth of her friend's circumstances was just hitting her, and she too appeared to be in a similar state to Peter. "Dine is our comrade, our f-friend! Of course we'd be sad! Can't you understand that!?"

She couldn't.

In the first place, Narberal was nothing more than a tool. Her entire purpose in life was to serve the Supreme Beings, and something such as self-preservation did not exist within her psyche. Indeed, if it was a request of the Supreme Beings then she would even be _eager_ to throw her life away.

If one of her comrades died fulfilling their duty to her Masters, Narberal might regret their loss- But she would never let it get in the way of her mission. She would surely look back on them with pride for carrying out the Supreme Beings' will until the end of their days. There was no greater honor, after all.

Looking at the two before them, seeing how they cried and lamented when moments ago an enemy had been attempting against their lives, all which Narberal could see were a bunch of crybabies.

Even if the humans mourned the losses of their fellow filth, there was a time and place… Those were the thoughts that crossed Nabe's head.

"...She's right. Nabe-chan… Is absolutely right." Lukeluther, who hadn't spoken until now, surprised the entire room with his words. Peter's head turned to him in shock, but whatever he was about to say died in his throat when he saw the grief evident in his best friend's face.

"Dine was our friend. He was one of us, an irreplaceable comrade… But this isn't the time to mourn him." His trembling hand reached towards his face to wipe his tears, revealing a determined glare that was fueled by a myriad of feelings. "Our mission was to escort Nfirea until he completed his task… And as far as I know, that's a mission we're still involved in."

"For all we know, Momon-san could be out there being attacked by dozens more of these guys!" Lukeluther continued, his voice fierce enough to shake the other two adventurers from their daze. "Unlike us, he threw himself straight towards that freakishly strong bitch even though he could be walking straight into a trap!"

"Momon-san…" Peter mumbled out, the image of the mysterious swordsman firmly displayed on his mind even through the pain. If Nabe was cool as ice, then Momon was like an immovable stone- He was strong and reliable, someone you could rest on without fail, because you knew he could handle anything.

Even now, the image ignited a small flame of inspiration in his heart.

"...It's my fault…" Ninya muttered in a small voice. "If I hadn't been so scared, then maybe I would have noticed! Then, Dine wouldn't be…" Her head slumped, as the hands which had been grabbing at Dine's cooling corpse balled into fists. However, before she could follow the train of thought any further, a hand firmly grabbed her shoulder. Ninya blinked in surprise, following the arm's length to its owner-

"No. Nobody's at fault. This is just… This is just what a battle really is like." Peter sucked in a breath, but stood up straight. "I knew… I knew that our job was dangerous… But I don't think any of us had been ready for this- Ready to accept that any one of us could die at any moment." He chuckled darkly. "I even dropped my weapon… I guess we really are a far call from our namesake."

Nobody had an answer to that.

"But even if we're a cheap knock-off…" Peter started, as he picked up his sword from the ground. "There's no way I can mope around like this while Momon-san is facing danger head-on. I hate it, having to leave Dine behind like this…" He grit his teeth. "...But we can always bury him later. For all we know, there might be people in the city under the same or worse danger!"

"There is no 'might'." Nabe cut in, tilting her head towards the outside. "Judging by the sounds outside, it appears that there are indeed other humans being murdered in the city."

" _...What!?_ " Lukeluther, who was closest to the shutters, reacted to those words. He approached the wooden blinds, and threw them open at once. What he saw brought newfound pallor to his skin. "...The sky is red… The city's on fire!"

"Then this is worse than I thought…" Peter said. "They aren't just here for Nfirea. Gods-damned infernals… They're going out of their way to massacre everyone in their way!" He took a deep breath, trying to calm his trembling body. "We need to stop them."

"Stop them…?" Ninya laughed. "When we can't even deal with six of them? There must be hundreds out there..." The way she slumped, it was almost as if she crumpled on the floor. "There's absolutely nothing we can do!"

"Those bastards will get everyone the same way they got Dine." Peter snarled out. "And we're supposed to just stay put? ...No." He gripped the pommel of his sword until he couldn't feel his own hand. "Sorry, but that isn't happening."

"The adventurer's guild." Lukeluther added, his expression serious for once. His two comrades looked up at him, intrigued by the statement. "That's the most likely place where a resistance would be organized. If we can get there, we can probably join them in beating back the devils."

"...Good thinking." Peter nodded. "If nothing else, it's a start." He paused after that statement, and turned towards Nabe with a troubled expression. "Nabe-san… Sorry about exploding at you earlier. It might be too much to ask, but can we rely on you to get to the adventurer's guild?"

The mysterious magic caster, Nabe.

None of the three knew what to really think about her. Even Lukeluther, whose heart had been captured by the mystifying beauty, couldn't bring himself to trust her wholeheartedly. Not with the monstrous abilities she had displayed in beating back the monsters. If they had possessed any doubts about Momon and Nabe's fighting prowess, the only thing they could ask themselves now was why the two weren't adamantite-ranked adventurers.

Because of that, they didn't know if they could count on Nabe's cooperation anymore. However-

"...No." Nabe remained in the same stance as before, hand tightly clamped around the grip of her sword and the other ready to direct her spells at an enemy. "I will remain in this place for the time being… And so will you." She glared at them tightly. "Those are Momon-sama's instructions."

" _For the time being_?" Peter ground out. "I don't know what Momon-san was thinking, but there's no way we can wait anymore like this! With the city in this state, what in the name of the Gods could we possibly have to be waiting for?"

"That would be me, actually."

Immediately, all four of them turned towards the Apothecary's doorstep, where two new silhouettes had appeared. The first of them stepped forwards, letting the magelights from outside illuminate his face.

It was a stranger, wearing glasses that protected his blank eyes.

He smiled. "Good evening, Swords of Darkness. Momon-san told me quite a bit about you."

"Who are you?" Peter asked in confusion, only for his eyebrows to shoot up as he saw Lizzie Baleare step in behind him.

"My name is Kazu, a simple merchant… And I believe we have much to discuss."

* * *

Overnight, hell itself had descended on E-Rantel.

Nobody knew where they came from, only that it started long after the sun had set. Few had been there to see the beginning of the nightmare, but thousands had been woken by the screams of those unlucky enough to have been prowling the streets at the time. Despite being entrenched between two districts, neither the guards nor the administrative offices had been alerted to the presence of monsters within the residential district.

At least, not until the buildings started being set on fire.

The streets were in a state of perpetual chaos. People broke out of their homes in a panic, desperate to flee from the horde of undead that shambled in the aftermath of their infernal overlords. With their teleportation abilities, the hellish creatures would pounce on the fleeing citizenry from the most unexpected locations, steadily killing more and more humans as the rest stepped over another in their futile attempts to find safety.

The garrison had soon been alerted to the presence of enemy forces in their city, but having been stationed in the outer walls it would take them precious time to muster any sizeable forces to be able to aid the citizens in the residential area. To add insult to injury, from what little they could gather about the situation of the city, they could tell that the devils were operating close to the outer walls and slowly making their way inwards, chasing the fleeing citizens.

In other words… They weren't just cutting a bloody swathe through the citizens. The devils were all cooperating in some form or another, using necromancy to raise undead corpses through unknown means… And they were doing so all the while they attempted to cut off the citizens from the garrison, into the innermost walls which contained the largest, most open buildings in the city.

They were trying to drive them into a cage of their own making, and in their panic none of the civilians could notice it.

"Keep the undead at bay! Leave this one to me!" In a secluded area of the residential district, a party of adventurers had stepped up to the task of protecting the civilians from the infernal menace. Their leader was a warrior armored head-to-toe in plate, and his gold adventurer plate shone clearly even in the night sky. His comrades all nodded, and turned to face the shambling zombies that were rushing towards the fleeing civilians.

" _You're a confident one, huh…?_ " The devil opposing him chuckled, in an echoing voice that sounded like a hundred old men rasping out in unison. Its entire body was chalk white, and it had no muscles to speak of. It was as if someone had taken an emaciated man to its logical extreme, removing all flesh and blood from his body and leaving only the outline of the bones covered only by a sickly pallor.

However, the long spindly tail that emerged from the creature's back, as well as its elongated skull-like face betrayed its inhuman nature. " _I will enjoy destroying you."_ At the end of its alien appendage, a bulbous stinger swished back and forth, looming over the monster menacingly.

"Just you try it, blighted creature…" The knightly adventurer bit back, lifting a greatsword with both hands. His muscles tensed, before he broke into a run straight towards the monster, his plate making loud rattling sounds as he advanced at the speed of an olympic runner.

As soon as he got within mere feet of the monster, the warrior turned on his center of mass and swung the blade he'd been holding at the ready. In that moment, the weapon's blade glowed with light as the swinging movement appeared to accelerate abruptly. This was [ **Straight** **Rush** ], a Martial Art that stressed straightforward offensive power in a straight line.

The devil was no ordinary creature- In many aspects, it was miles beyond the physical specs of its human opponent. However, [Straight Rush]'s explosive force would be more than enough to grievously wound it if the attack connected, especially with the weight of the greatsword that the warrior was making use of.

However-

Instead of connecting with the devil's body, the warrior's charging attack was stopped by a massive wall of ice that spontaneously sprouted between the two combatants. As a testament to the Martial Art's power, the blade cleaved straight through the defensive formation, spraying crystals of the frozen water all around them.

 _He didn't use an incantation!? No… He didn't even have a casting time?_ The adventurer quelled his surprise, and with a mighty effort pried the sword away from the ice wall. Stepping back, he tried to seek out his enemy's position again… Only to find him missing completely. "What? Where did he go…?"

It dawned on him almost immediately. _No way…!_

The rush of air whistling past his ear was the only thing that saved his life. He did an almost complete turn and held out the flat of his blade, just in time to bounce back the stinger that had been aimed at his neck. What had appeared to be empty space then flickered to reveal the form of the devil, whose face was frowning in dissatisfaction.

"Invisibility… You fucking coward!" The warrior yelled, pursuing the revealed monster only for it to dodge his blows with the agility of an expert rogue. Despite his initial advantage, the warrior soon realized he was outmatched by the devil's superior agility as in his attempts to avoid the deadly-looking stinger he had received numerous minor wounds from the devil's claws, which were sharp enough to pierce his armor.

The warrior grit his teeth, as he heard the frantic shouting of his teammates. Clearly, he wasn't the only one with problems. But bad enough as the situation was, he couldn't even turn to check on them. Not with the bloodthirsty monster's stinger relentlessly pursuing his throat.

" _Cowardice is an illusion… Just as your chances of victory are."_ The monster whispered darkly, right before he once again faded into nothingness.

The warrior cursed, and started frantically looking towards his sides, hoping for a sign -any sign- that would point him to the monster's location. He was painfully aware of the sound of his blood pumping, the sweat that poured as he gripped his weapon, and the faint rustling of the wind… But there was no sign of the monster.

At least, there was none on the ground- _Wait… Don't tell me-!_

By the time the Warrior turned to look up, it was too late. He felt the rustling wind, but wouldn't move fast enough to turn his blade against the monster in time.

Not against one who could use Flight to get the drop on him.

" _You're finished!"_

"-Crap…!"

At that moment.

From a building's nearby walls, a figure exploded through. It flew past the two of them, causing them to halt their fight and stare in shock at the humanoid bullet that had crashed against the ground with a thunderous noise.

The warrior only had the chance to make out the tell-tale barbs of another of the devilish creatures before a second figure pounced on it with an earth-shaking impact, causing a cloud of crushed stone to temporarily blind his sight.

"What… In the Gods' names…?" Half scared of what he would see, the warrior slowly opened his eyes… Only to let out an awed gasp at what he saw.

" _It's been two hundred years since I saw so many devils…"_ A deep voice rumbled beneath the man's platinum helmet, as he stepped into the magelights to reveal his imposing figure. Even though it was stained with blood, the platinum armor still shone brilliantly under the artificial lights of the city.

Tsaindoruks Vaison chuckled. " _...Looks like my 'hunch' was right."_ As he said that, a green flash lingered in his visor before he turned towards the devil that had been attacking the gold-plated warrior. " _Unfortunately, it looks like all of you are too weak down the ladder to be the real instigators behind this."_ He advanced towards the devil, taking a step forwards just as the corpse of his former comrade dispersed into dust.

The devil took a step back. " _What… are you?"_

" _I'm just a knight, out to save this world from creatures like you and the ones who call them forth. The latter especially."_ The platinum knight said casually, as he pulled a glowing winged spear from seemingly nowhere. " _I guess you could call me a 'hero', though there are very few of us compared to back then."_

The warrior's eyes widened. _Impossible…_ "One of the Thirteen Heroes…" He said, stumbling back in disbelief from the legendary figure. At the same time, however, an incredible relief filled his soul. _We're saved… E-Rantel is saved…!_

The bone-like devil growled, unfamiliar with the legend of the Thirteen Heroes but aware of the immense power the figure before him wielded. _It's useless fighting against him._ He thought as he started to float into the air. _It's disgusting, but I have to retreat…!_

However, as it turned invisible in order to make its escape-

" _Where do you think you're going…?"_ Almost lazily, Tsaindoruks used one hand to twirl the spear like a windmill, before with a simple gesture he hurled it like a javelin.

The warrior's eyes almost bugged out of his head when the spear that had been so lazily thrown shot at speeds faster than an arrow and a scream of pain spread across the street as the invisible devil was impaled against a building by the chest.

" _I-Impossible!"_ The devil coughed out, wounded but clearly not out of the fight yet. _This is fine… I can still teleport away!_ However, as he thought of an alternate means of escape… He caught a sudden motion that caused him to look up.

" _By the way… That spear has a dimensional anchor on it, so teleporting is useless."_ Tsaindoruks said, floating in mid-air as he gripped the spear that had trapped the bone devil on the wall. He easily caught the stinger that had been aimed at his face, and with a grunt ripped it off the tail it had been attached to, causing the bone devil to shriek in agony.

" _It's a waste to try, but I don't suppose you could tell me about the Player who summoned you or your master?"_ The mysterious knight said, tone going slightly deeper when he uttered the word 'Player'.

" _Fool!_ " The Bone devil spat out. " _The Archdevil's schemes are too grand for you to-"_ Whatever it was about to say next was cut off when the same spear that had been in its chest severed its head from its shoulders.

" _I thought so."_ The ancient hero uttered in disdain as the devil's separate halves fell to the ground, only to disappear into dust seconds later. With a sigh, he lowered himself back to the ground, where the warrior was still dumbfoundedly staring at him. "... _Do you need my help here?"_ The knight eventually said to the gaping swordsman.

"Here! Hero-sama, please help us!" One of the warrior's comrades said, as he furiously struggled against the swarm of zombies that continued to assault them even after the death of the devil which had apparently been commanding them.

Tsaindoruks looked at the undead horde, and scoffed. " _Very well."_

Fetching his spear, the Platinum Knight pounced upon the horde of undead with his winged spear. Though they would be destroyed in seconds, Tsaindoruks knew it would do nothing to fix the situation that was spreading across the city.

If he wanted to truly save the city -and likely the world- from this threat, then he would need to cut off the head of the snake. He'd have to find out the one ordering these devils… And climb his way up the chain of command until he found the true mastermind behind this attack and the other incidents that had been happening all around the continent for the last decade.

If his 'hunch' was right, then the world was being threatened not by some silly 'King of Devils', but by a much greater threat.

He just hoped he could find the Player behind this before they ended up destroying the world once again.

* * *

"Whaaat? You're still chasing me!?" Clementine mocked the black swordsman, who insistently kept hot on her trail. "Girls don't like it when guys get pushy, you know~?" She said, even as a series of jumps sent her over another roof in an inhuman display of agility. Momon would not be dissuaded,

however, and with a similarly monstrous display leapt up to match her.

Their game of cat and mouse had stretched on for a long time. Initially, the fleeing warrior had been content to simply lead Momon through dark alleys and narrow streets, but as she grew bored in playing with him she became more adventurous in trying to escape him. The subtle chase using the night's cover was soon replaced by outlandish parkour and wild course directions in an attempt to lose him, but despite her best efforts Momon had remained hot on her heels.

 _Ahhh, did I get too confident again?_ Clementine fumed, even as she continued to lead the hero around. Though she'd given the boy to Khajit so the man could get his ritual started, she had decided to stick around in order to 'play' with the dark swordsman that clearly thought himself hot enough to take on the entirety of their forces.

However, not once had she been able to get the jump on the mysterious warrior. Even though she had done her best to use the cover of the night to ambush him, it was if he could see right through the dark and even then his senses were sharp enough that he wasn't losing her, even through the camouflage of the city.

Of course, there was no way Clementine could have known that the only reason Momon had not lost her yet was because he was cheating through his racial night vision and his high-level senses. While most Dwarves and Elves could more easily navigate under such circumstances, neither of them possessed the physical advantages of a max-level player character, even one of the mage class.

For his own part, Momon was concerned.

Though he'd decided to bite the bait that Clementine had used as her hook and chased after her, there was no sign of Nfirea or any of her other conspirators. Given what little knowledge he had, he could only devise that they had used Teleportation to flee to safety, or perhaps simply fled using some form of stealth.

 _This is troublesome, but I might have to acknowledge the fact that this woman might be trying to lead me to a red herring._ It was a bitter thought, knowing that he was being forced to play right into the hands of a shady opponent. His cautious part was currently trembling inside his mind, and at any moment he felt as if it would start shouting ' _you should have stayed behind in Nazarick after all!_ '

"You won't escape from me!" Momon bellowed as the two of them leapt higher, leaving the streets for E-Rantel's slippery rooftops. "Surrender, and I promise you a swift death!" Inwardly, he winced at such a corny line. _Talking like this makes me feel like I'm back in the 'old days' again…_

Clementine cackled at his words, and he idly wondered how she ran so fast while keeping that up. "Surrender?" She took a sharp turn, suddenly leading him into a deeper part of the residential area. "That's just priceless…!"

 _What's going on? The air just got heavier all of a sudden._ Momon looked around sharply, as he finally noticed the clouds of smoke that were rising to the air all over the city. He'd been so concerned with Clementine that the state of E-Rantel had failed to register as he pursued her.

When they crossed over to another block, Momon finally saw them. In the streets below, a crowd was fleeing from a larger mass of bodies that seemingly ran over one another in their haste to get their hands on their fleeing prey. They chased them on the streets, into their homes and through any obstacles, seemingly without mind.

Intuitively, Momon immediately identified the presence of those beings as 'Zombies', thanks to his racial trait. The lowest kind of undead, they were nonetheless threatening to low-level adventurers in large numbers and boasted numerous resistances to status effects. He also saw a few Ghouls and other creatures, but what worried him the most were the other figures that seemingly shepherded the unliving abominations...

 _Devils!? ...No, then Herohero-san's fears were…_

"You…" Momon growled at the woman. "What have you done!?" _This bitch and her cronies are attacking the city now of all times? We never asked for this kind of a mess!_

"Oh come on! Weren't you going to catch me and save your boyfriend? What does it matter if the city burns down as you do it?" Clementine giggled madly, even when Momon got close enough to attempt an attack against her, which she still dodged effortlessly and retreated from. "It's just a little fun on the side, after all!"

Inwardly, Momon ground his teeth together. If E-Rantel collapsed from these people's actions, then the risks they had taken in this mission would all become moot. He should have known that any facade of peace in this world was as flimsy as they went, considering what his first encounter with the outside world had been.

Had they kept a low profile a little longer, then they wouldn't have been caught up in this chaos…

"What? Nothing to say?" The woman mocked, as the two of them stepped into the smoldering rooftop of a burnt building. Though her steps were light, Momon had to struggle not to fall as the ground under his feet started to collapse under the weight of his armor. "Did the cat get the big hero's tongue?"

"You've gone too far-!" Momon stated simply, before he was forced to start back in surprise. The reason for that had been a long chain which had suddenly pierced the space between him and the runaway criminal. With a growl, he quickly tore through the moving metal by swinging his sword hard enough that its impact rang like a gunshot.

He glanced for a moment at the source of the chain, but as the figure slipped back to the shadows he promptly realized it must have been one of the devils aiding the woman. Turning his gaze back to the girl, he frowned when he saw the distance between them had noticeably lengthened.

 _So that was her game…_ Since she had not been able to get the jump on him, now she was trying to wear him down? It was certainly smart of her… But a futile endeavor. Hard as she tried, Momon wouldn't get tired. She could perhaps order the creatures to buy her time to escape, but as the time went by Momon was convinced that the girl was determined to off him in some way or another.

That was too bad, because there was no way she could win against him. Even if she thought she held all the cards, Momon had yet to run into something that he felt could realistically hurt him… And the girl was no exception. He hadn't tested his passive against her, but he felt that the girl was still somewhat weaker than the Dominion they had taken down.

"Too far?" Clementine repeated in a mocking tone. "Jeez, could you get any more predictable? Fools like you..." She licked her lips. "They're the kind of people I love to murder the most!"

She suddenly dived towards the streets below, and Momon followed… Right into the waiting weapons of two more devils that got in his way. He growled as he disposed of them.

 _Like I thought, she wants to play the waiting game then?_

"All right," Momon whispered, his voice filling with a dangerous glee. "Let's play."

* * *

"Those bastards... Are attacking the entire city!?" Peter shouted in horrified shock, his friends sharing much the same. They had all listened to 'Kazu's accounts of the chaos outside, and couldn't believe the extent the damage had spread in such a short time.

"Nfirea… They took my grandson..." Lizzie muttered in despair, still pale from the horrors she had seen and the news of Nfirea's abduction. The group had led her to take a seat, as she appeared to be unable to even stand properly from her distress.

"Have you ever heard of something like this happening? Fiends and undead attacking a city en masse in such a way?" Kazu asked calmly, keeping his face level despite the nervousness he was feeling inside. He didn't feel as he thought he would have, but there was no way he could shrug off the situation that had been thrown on them.

"We know undead would gladly attack a city, but…" Ninya looked at the floor, face scrunched up in thought. "...But never like this. They just popped out of nowhere… It definitely feels like someone planned this. I'm not sure where they got the devils from, but if there's a group I'd have to blame… It's probably Zuranon."

The other members gasped at that.

"Zuranon?" The Player's eyes narrowed. "What's that?"

"It's a group of necromancers and practitioners of the forbidden arts that's been around since I was young." It was Lizzie who replied, face grave. "I heard from a few gossiping customers on how they had been growing bolder these last few years… But I never expected this!"

 _So it's a stereotypical death cult… With magic powers. That's one stereotype I didn't want to see in this fantasy world…_ Kazu thought it a mixed blessing that the rest of the Nazarick dwellers had already abandoned the city. Having to handle this attack with their covers was a bad draw, but on the other hand it was a saving grace that they didn't need to expose themselves too much.

"Kazu-san, are you an acquaintance of Momon-san?" Lukeluther asked, temporarily changing the subject in an attempt to slightly lighten the mood of the room. The recipient of his words appeared to take in stride, and nodded.

"We're friends, actually. We used to party together, but we ended up taking different jobs." The adventurers voiced their understanding, remembering what Momon had said about looking for his missing comrades.

"Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but… What shall we do, Kazu-sama?" Nabe spoke up suddenly, eliciting the incognito monster's surprise. "Is Momon-sama alright?"

"He's chasing one of the people behind this, right?" At her nod, Kazu continued. "Then I think I'll wait for him to tell me where that ends up, and support him if he needs to." _This situation is too dangerous for us not to stick together_ , he finished the sentence in his mind.

"Huh? Wait for him to tell you? How would you do that?" Peter asked curiously, causing the glass-eyed man to flinch for an instant before he waved him off with a dry look.

"I have my ways. As for Nabe and you…" Kazu scratched his head, looking thoughtful for a moment. _There's no way I can send them with us, even Narberal might be a dead weight…_ "What did you have planned?"

"We want to go to Adventurer's Guild and help organize a counter-offensive," Peter explained. "We might not be one of the cities with an adamantite-ranked adventuring party, but we have three different-ranked mythril parties, as well as a magician's guild. I don't know how strong these guys are, but those people are no pushovers either. The guild is probably still standing."

Kazu voiced his approval. "That's a good idea. With Nabe on your side, you should be able to make it…" He started, but then frowned in thought. _Momonga-san likes these guys, but… I don't think if we can protect them from this. We can't risk Narberal falling to the enemy, even if she's not using her rare equipment we don't even know if we could bring her back… I'll have to tell her to run if push comes to shove._

"What about Baleare-sama, though?" Ninya interrupted. "We can't just leave her here…" She looked sadly at the grief-stricken woman, who continued to fidget nervously.

"I'll handle it. There's a place I know they won't be able to touch her." Kazu said easily, having already messaged Albedo to make the arrangements to transfer Lizzie to Carne Village. "Anyways, about your plan to go to the Guild-"

Kazu froze when a sudden message from Momonga started playing in his head.

"...A cemetery." Kazu said blankly, causing some mild shock on the Swords of Darkness. "Of course they're in a cemetery. They couldn't be more obvious if they tried, could they?" He muttered, drawing confused stares.

"Kazu-san?" Peter tried to nudge the suddenly quiet 'merchant'.

"...Momon-san says he found them." The man finally said, as he looked up at the party with a serious expression. "I'm sorry about your friend… But that's our cue to get moving."

Looking at each other, the three adventurers couldn't help but take a deep breath from a sudden shock of fear. They were very aware that by the time the sun rose again, none of them might be standing anymore. As was often said, they'd be heading out of the frying pan…

...And trading that for the fire.

* * *

Delas looked up.

"It appears…" The monster in the guise of a man hissed with a growing smile. "...That we have visitors."

" _What!?_ " The Orb of Death almost slipped from Khajit's fingers, as his chanting of a spell was interrupted. "Are you certain? With the chaos in the city, how could someone possibly be lead to…" The deathly magic caster's words died out as realization dawned upon him. His grip on the orb tightened as much as his feeble muscles could allow. "... _That bitch_ , Clementine! I can't believe she would be stupid enough to bring someone to this place!"

"Oh, but there would be no fun if all we did was sit here and bide our time, Khajit-san. Indeed, I am curious as to what this person can even accomplish, given how far we have advanced in our progress... " The devil laughed, and started to chant a scrying spell to perceive the form of their ever bold intruder.

When the magic slipped from his fingers as if there was nothing, however, he grew quiet. "...What?"

"Oh, what is it this time?" Khajit growled, as he tried to keep his attention on the magic tool he was using to fuel the creation of hundreds of undead. "Let Clementine handle it. As much as I hate her, she can clean up after her own messes."

Ahead of him, Nfirea blankly at empty space. The Crown of Wisdom decorated his forehead, glowing with a malignant essence that appeared to pulse alongside the Orb of Death's power.

"No... " Delas said, slowly standing up from where he had been observing Khajit progress the ritual. "No, I do believe I have to see this for myself. For this intruder to defy my power, only one such being has ever done such a feat before…"

At the devil's words, Khajit felt the urge to almost stop again. He had already been witness to the monstrous power the creature could bring to bear, and it was claiming it had been repelled in some way? It was enough to make him curse furiously in his mind… But he would have to continue the ritual regardless.

Everything had finally fallen into place. He'd obtained the Orb of Death, Clementine had finally owed up to all of Zuranon's previous support by bringing this relic, and finally he had managed to strike a deal with a creature of phenomenal cosmic power… All for the sake of his grand dream.

There was nothing, no one who could stop him! No human could survive an army of undead creatures and the high-ranked devils which had been summoned by his colleague. Even if the person was one of the Blue Rose, they would surely fall…!

"Very well, then." Delas stated. "I will go and observe this battle. Will you truly not participate? This intruder might be a bigger threat than you expect…"

"Fine," Khajit gave his consent. He had saved up the Orb's power for such a situation, anyways, so he could bring some strength to bear. "But this is all I will do." The necromancer concentrated, and held up the Orb of Death as he loudly called for its power.

-As the earth beneath the crypt started to shake, an evil long since buried starting to wake from its rest once again, Delas gave a toothy smile.

"I do believe… This will be more than enough."

* * *

 **Next:** _The Battle for E-Rantel_


End file.
